Coming off a couple of rough losses the Fresno City College baseball team showed up to John Euless Ballpark ready to prove themselves.
Fresno City Jumped out to an early lead in the third inning and would later hang on after a shaky eighth inning to win 3-2.
Early on everyone could tell that this was going to be a classic pitching duel. Both Fresno City and Santa Rosa came out throwing hard and tactfully.
By the third inning it would be a few errors committed by the bear cubs and the bats of the rams coming alive and taking advantage of the situations presented to them.
The bottom of the third would start off with, infielder Garret Weber, reaching on an error. Robbie De La Cruz would then reach on a walk, setting up Anthony Martinez to hit run scoring double putting the rams on the scoreboard.
Clean-up hitter Brett Jones would hit a two run single, to put the rams ahead 3-0. Sadly Jones was thrown out at second trying to stretch his single into double ending the rally.
Starting lefty Brandon King, would take control of the gaming pitching seven shutout innings keeping the Rams in a dominant position to take the ballgame. The competitive Bear Cubs wouldn’t go to sleep quietly; they would begin their attemptive comeback during the beginning of the eighth inning.
With one out the sophomore infielder Jorge Gonzalez, would single to left field and start a two run rally that would threaten a Ram’s victory. With two runs scored and runners on first and third, Sean Bufford would be called in to end the inning and help get Fresno City out of the jam. He would get the next batter to flyout to right field and maintain a one run lead.
“King’s curveball was doing really well out there today,” said freshman catcher Zach Sullivan, “Bufford did a great a job coming in and closing the door. This win picked us up and is going to us some momentum throughout the season.”
Santa Rosa makes it out to Fresno City every year for at least one baseball series a season. In 2005 the Bear Cubs won the state championship that has been hosted at John Euless Ballpark since 1995.
“[John Euless Ballpark] is a great venue, we always have great competition, and Coach Ron Scott is a true gentleman,” praised head coach of Santa Rosa Junior College, Damon Neidlinger.
