Raiders handle Lancers, sit in middle of crowded race to postseason
By Brian Walther, reporting intern
Reed built a big lead early and hung on late to get past McQueen, 9-5, at home on Tuesday afternoon.
The Raiders (11-16, 8-9) won for the fifth time in seven games and pulled into a four-way tie for seventh place, one game behind McQueen (12-15, 9-8) and Damonte Ranch, who are tied for fifth. The top eight teams advance to the postseason.
Senior pitcher Jake White started on the mound for the Raiders and gave up just three hits, one run, and struck out six in 4.1 innings.
“We came out actually relaxed today,” Reed coach Levi Matherly said. “We had Jake on the mound, he came out and gave us a great outing.”
The offense was persistent, scoring at least one run in all but the first inning.
Reed found itself down a run in the second inning, but answered right back when Caleb Ariaz singled on a ground ball to left field and McQueen committed a throwing error, allowing the Raiders to get two runs.
The next inning, Lincoln Turner (1-for-3, run, walk) would send a solo home run over the fence in left field, putting the Raiders up 3-1.
“I thought our approaches at the plate were good,” Matherly said. “We just seemed relaxed and that’s good to see after our struggles on Saturday (in two losses at Reno).”
Jon Pinto (3-for-3, RBI, walk) and Kameron Soubiea (2-for-4, two runs) started off the fifth inning for Reed with a walk and single, setting up the Raiders to score three runs in the frame courtesy of a Vinnie Fillipone sac fly and a McQueen error.
Reed led 9-1 going to the seventh, and McQueen didn’t give in. The Lancers scored four runs before senior Cameron Beard would get the final out with the tying run at the plate.
“We’ll go back to work tomorrow and see what we can do Thursday,” Matherly said.
The Raiders will try to move into a tie with the Lancers (and would hold the tiebreaker with a win) on Thursday afternoon at McQueen.
Regular season ends next Thursday. Six teams separated by one game fighting for final four playoff spots pic.twitter.com/0fR0nGIysq
— Nathan Shoup (@Trib_Shoup) April 26, 2017
Three-inning rout gives Cougs ninth-straight win
Half of Spanish Springs’ 14 hits went for extra bases on Tuesday afternoon in a 16-1 three-inning home rout of last-place Hug.
The Cougars (18-4, 14-3) pushed their longest winning streak of the season to nine games and kept pace with Reno at the peak of the 4A North. It is the Cougs’ second winning streak this season of eight-plus games. The Hawks (2-23, 0-17) dropped their 12th straight.
Tanner Smith went 3-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and two runs scored in the romp. Marlin Brucato (1-for-2, three RBIs, two runs) contributed to an eight-run second inning when he dug in with the bases loaded and cleared them with a triple.
Malik Lariviere (1-for-3, two RBIs, two runs) belted a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third before Connor Culp eventually ripped what amounted to a walk-off two-run double that enacted the mercy rule of 15 runs after three innings.
Dawson Martin finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Trevor French was awarded the win, striking out two and giving up just one hit in two scoreless innings of work.
Hug led 1-0 going to the bottom of the second. Spanish Springs then erupted for 16 runs in its next two at bats.
The two squads complete their regular-season series Thursday at Hug. Spanish Springs then returns home on Saturday for a implication-laden doubleheader with Reno.
MIchael Holen says
I don’t understand – you had Damonte Ranch at 10-6, and now 9-8 how is that possible?