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Win keeps Warriors baseball in step with Ponderosa
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Photo by Paige Lampson
Joey Ruiz slides safely into first base last Thursday.
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By Kerensa Uyeta-Buckley
Herald Sports
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With three losses in their last four games prior to Monday’s game at Christian Brothers, the Galt Warriors are aware that their upcoming games need to be approached seriously in order to stay near the top of the Sierra Valley Conference standings.
“There is no room for error, there is none,” Galt head coach Joe Garcia said Thursday evening at Galt Community Park. “We need to be close to perfect.”
Starting tonight, the Warriors have four games left in the regular season, including one at 4:15 at Ponderosa.
Galt earned a 5-3 win over Christian Brothers Monday evening that kept them within striking distance of Ponderosa, which is in first place with a 9-2 record.
The Warriors’ win gave them a 7-4 record, keeping them alone in second place.
In the Warriors’ last game against Union Mine and Thursday’s loss, both opponents jumped ahead early, making early offense a must in the Warriors’ upcoming games against Ponderosa, according to Garcia.
“We’re starting off behind, right off the get-go and we cannot be doing that,” Garcia said, referring to recent games including Thursday’s 5-1 loss to Christian Brothers.
If their winning trend continues on the road this season, the Warriors have a good chance to gain some ground in the playoff race tonight.
As of last week, the Warriors were 6-0 on the road, while all four of their losses have occurred at home, Garcia noted Thursday.
Galt’s game against the Falcons last was at home, and Christian Brothers scored their first run in the first inning.
Union Mine jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and Galt never recovered in the 8-3 loss.
Galt trailed by just one run until the fourth inning Thursday, but the subsequent runs eventually piled up until Galt was behind 3-1.
Marcus McDaniel hit an RBI single that scored leadoff hitter Kyle Venegas, who reached base on a walk for a 1-0 lead.
In the fourth inning, Benjamin Cooper reached base when infielder Cole Rasmussen fumble the ball and his throw to first base went past Matt Barsetti, allowing James Pope to score from second base for a 2-0 lead.
Nicholas Maionchi then hit an RBI single that scored Aleks Fornalski for a 3-0 lead.
In the seventh inning, Christian Brothers added to its lead after reliever Nikko Garcia got two outs to start off the inning.
Mike Laino was called safe after reaching first base on a hit virtually at the same time as the throw to first.
That hit led to a string of base runners for the Falcons.
During Pope’s at-bat, Garcia threw to first base to pick off Laino, but the throw went past first baseman Mac Lindner’s glove and Laino advanced to third base.
Pope then hit single to drive Laino in, 4-1.
Galt starting pitcher Brent Harrison put forth a solid effort, despite the final score.
Harrison pitched six innings and gave up five hits, one unearned run and two earned runs against the Falcons.
Garcia pitched one inning, giving up three hits, one unearned run and one run, along with one walk.
The Warriors scored their only run in the sixth inning.
Rasmussen led off the inning with a triple to center field, then Harrison hit a sacrifice to Falcons pitcher Rob Lund to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Garcia then walked McDaniel before Fornalski hit a single to drive in Pope for a 5-1 lead.
Lund pitched a complete game, giving up four hits, one earned run, four strikeouts and one walk.
“Our focus is to regroup, re-establish what we’re doing and to get back to what made us successful,” Garcia said.
“In the beginning we were more focused and more determined and we had more enthusiasm. Today, the drive was there, but the problem was the decision-making wasn’t there.”
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