The McClatchy Lions played a fantastic game against the Monterey Trail Mustangs on Friday, April 26th.
The game was played at Monterey Trail High School on a cloudy day with some rain. McClatchy entered the game 7-2, while Monterey Trail entered 2-7, placing 3rd and 5th overall in the Metropolitan Conference.
The first inning went by quickly with no points being scored by either team, with only a handful of players even getting on base. Inning two was where the Mustangs took an early lead after #1 Elias Roche hit a single to get himself on base. He then got to second after the next batter also hit a single, and finally he stole third and ran home with the final batter hit. This put the Mustangs ahead by 1 going into the third.
The next two innings kept it a close game after McClatchy players #8 Jackson Halverson and #11 Xavier Vuittonet both hit singles allowing their team to get them home with the next batter getting walked and yet another hitting a single. This took Jackson home and Xavier to third where he managed to make it home after another at-bat putting McClatchy ahead by 1 in the fourth.
In the fourth inning, McClatchy scored one point after #9 Jeremiah Rutledge got a single, got to second with another batter’s single, and made it to third and home plate after one bunt and a line drive. Down one going to bat, Monterey Trail shifted into high gear scoring two points and tying up the game going into the fifth.
The fifth put the Mustangs ahead by one after they scored. The final two innings were where McClatchy really cranked up the heat, scoring a whopping six points and locking out the Mustangs. The most notable play of the game happened when, with the bases loaded, McClatchy player #16 Camden Salisbury stepped up to bat and slammed the ball deep into the outfield, and as the Mustangs scrambled for the ball, he rounded three bases, allowing each player on base to score. The next batter #11 Ari Silva scored a single and #16 scored, putting McClatchy ahead by 3.
The Final score was 9-4 with McClatchy taking the win. The McClatchy baseball team is phenomenal this year, and their next game against River City on Tuesday the 30th should be a real home run.