WOODLAND — In business, it’s location, location, location.

In baseball, it’s pitching, pitching and more pitching.

Knowing that’s the case, Yolo Post 77 sent a pair of pit bulls to the mound Tuesday and the end result was a 7-3 victory over visiting Oroville at Clark Field.

With Carlos Enriquez pitching the first five innings and Justin Carlier picking up the win by hurling the final four frames, the local American Legion squad ran its record to 8-1.

“This was a good win for us,” Yolo coach Matt Castles told The Enterprise. “I thought we came out a little bit flat in the game, but we got good pitching. Carlos did a good job, giving us five innings. Then JC comes in and throws all three of his pitches for strikes.”

Post 77 jumped on Oroville starter Stuart Bradley for two quick runs when Kiki Gonzalez smacked a two-out, two-run single. Hayden Duer and Adam Castelan had earlier singled to set the stage.

Woodland right-hander Enriquez was in control for most of his stint.

The only blemish came when a Yolo error on a Zach Roacha grounder led to a fourth-inning run — Roacha scoring on the third of three Post 77 double plays.

Enriquez allowed but three hits and the unearned run, while fanning four and walking only one.

Consecutive hits by Nico Sandoval, Bobby Young and Wyatt Bartholomew teased fans into thinking a big Yolo inning was at hand in the fourth, but after a wild pitch scored Sandoval, Bradley settled in to get Ethan Chrisp and Joe Murray.

Still, that 3-1 lead looked safe when Enriquez left an inning later.

However, two Post 95 runs — one unearned — off Carlier in the seventh snatched the win from Enriquez.

Then, after RBIs from Devin Pettengill and T.J. Dove tied things, 3-3, Carlier dug in and the Post 77 offense dug out.

In the bottom of the eighth, with Jacob Clayton on in relief (Bradley went four innings), Yolo put a four-spot on the board.

Castelan led off by getting hit by a pitch that bounced in the dirt and Robert Daugherty followed with a walk.

Then came the play that turned the game in Yolo’s favor.

Mike Secrist’s bunt was fielded by O’s first baseman Jay Dance, who chose to try to force Castelan at third. The throw was late, everybody was safe and the landslide began …

Gonzalez reached on an infield error as Castelan came in. Sandoval’s slicing single to right scored Daugherty and Secrist. Young, the former Blue Devil standout, followed by stroking a line-drive double into the left-field corner, Gonzalez tapping home with the night’s final tally.

On the night, Sandoval — a slugger from Woodland High — went 3-for-4 with a run scored and those two RBIs. Young was 2-for-4.

Yolo made the most of its nine hits, its two errors resulting in two unearned runs.

“We were able to string some hits together,” added Castles, in his 18th and final season at the helm. “There are a couple of places we could improve … offensively, we need to get a little more consistent.

“For the most part, our pitching and defense has been good. It won’t hurt to throw a few more strikes, but we like what we see.”

Clayton took the loss as Oroville fell to 2-7, while Carlier was credited with the pitching victory.

Next up for Post 77 is a Wednesday game at Laurel Creek Park against the Fairfield Expos. Yolo returns home for a 4 p.m. Sunday doubleheader with Manhart.

0605PostW

Yolo first baseman Bobby Young, right, watches as Justin Carlier delivers a pitch during a 7-3 victory over Oroville on Tuesday at Clark Field. Young had an RBI in the decisive four-run eighth inning to give Carlier the win. Fred Gladdis/Enterprise photo

Comments

comments