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Teams Hit Diamond For Summer Baseball Action
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Summer baseball is in full swing in Escalon, with both an "A" team and a "B" team suiting up for the Cougars. The older players, basically those for the varsity team, are the A squad, with the underclassmen filling the B team roster.

There have been several games already, with teams from all around the region getting in on the summer schedule.

"Actually, the varsity team, we haven't lost," coach Greg Largent said of the A team.

They were scheduled to play in the championship game of the Linden Tournament on Tuesday afternoon, June 10 at Billy Hebert Field in Stockton, after the Times went to press.

So far, they have taken on Riverbank, played in Oakdale, traveled to Linden and played in the Linden Tournament with games at Billy Hebert Field.

"It's high school summer ball, we play everyone from Division I to Division VI schools, we play the whole month of June," noted Largent.

The Cougars started the summer season by opening up with a game at Riverbank on June 2. The varsity won there, 8-1 and the big hit came from Leighton Pangilinan, who had a three-run homer in the first to get the scoring started.

"Nick Largent started the game, he went three innings, then Jon Whitesitt pitched, followed by Brandon Shaw and Leighton," explained Largent. "We hit the ball pretty well, built up an 8-0 lead and then cruised."

The B team, the JV boys, played a doubleheader at Oakdale to open up their summer schedule and split those games, losing the first and winning the second. Trey Balber hit a home run and Matt Roberson had a double to pace the offense. Both are incoming freshmen.

"It's kind of a nice thing, there's a lot of free substitution, a lot of kids in and out and it's more like an instructional league, which is great for us," Largent said. What's also nice about the summer league, he added, is that the varsity coaches can watch the underclassmen play, since the JV team typically plays before the varsity during the summer, not at the same time as they do during the regular school campaign.

"It gives us a chance to see the young guys, see what we've got coming," Largent said.

JV head coach Mark Yost is heading up the B team, though Largent said all coaches are working together with the squads for the summer.

Wednesday, the Cougars traveled to Linden and there, both the JV and varsity squad were winners. Aaron Pangilinan hit a home run to pace the varsity.