Winning in extra innings on the road Tuesday, the Escalon varsity baseball boys also came up with a come-from-behind win on Thursday, sweeping their games with Modesto Christian this week and staying in the forefront of the baseball title battle.
In the opener on April 29, the Cougars got a 3-2 victory in eight innings.
"We played very sloppy early," said coach Greg Largent. "In the first two innings, we committed three errors and found ourselves down, 2-0."
The varsity squad slowly righted the ship, though, getting one run back in the fourth inning and adding the tying run in the fifth.
In the fourth, Jake Caton singled and moved to third when Derrick DeFreitas reached on an error. On a squeeze play with Nick Largent at the plate, the pitch was outside so Largent couldn't make contact and Caton got caught in the pickle coming down the line from third.
"He stayed in it long enough for DeFreitas to get to third," Largent said about Caton. "Then Nick came up with an RBI ground out."
That made it 2-1 and the Cougars pulled even with the Crusaders in the fifth. Jake Winkler walked and went to second on a wild pick off throw to first. Nick Aprile then reached on an infield single and Winkler scored on an RBI ground out by Spencer Franceschetti.
Jimmy Zepeda got the start and went six innings, striking out eight, walking four and giving up two runs, only one of them earned. Charlie McDonald came on in relief and pitched the final two, getting the win.
The teams were knotted at 2-2 after the regulation seven innings and Escalon took the lead in the top of the eighth.
Franceschetti walked and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by McDonald. Leighton Pangilinan then hit a sharp grounder that the second baseman couldn't handle and Franceschetti came in to score.
Modesto Christian got the leadoff hitter on with a single in the bottom of the eighth but got him no further and Escalon had the win.
"We expected a tough game going to their place, we figured it would be a one run game," admitted Largent.
In the opener on April 29, the Cougars got a 3-2 victory in eight innings.
"We played very sloppy early," said coach Greg Largent. "In the first two innings, we committed three errors and found ourselves down, 2-0."
The varsity squad slowly righted the ship, though, getting one run back in the fourth inning and adding the tying run in the fifth.
In the fourth, Jake Caton singled and moved to third when Derrick DeFreitas reached on an error. On a squeeze play with Nick Largent at the plate, the pitch was outside so Largent couldn't make contact and Caton got caught in the pickle coming down the line from third.
"He stayed in it long enough for DeFreitas to get to third," Largent said about Caton. "Then Nick came up with an RBI ground out."
That made it 2-1 and the Cougars pulled even with the Crusaders in the fifth. Jake Winkler walked and went to second on a wild pick off throw to first. Nick Aprile then reached on an infield single and Winkler scored on an RBI ground out by Spencer Franceschetti.
Jimmy Zepeda got the start and went six innings, striking out eight, walking four and giving up two runs, only one of them earned. Charlie McDonald came on in relief and pitched the final two, getting the win.
The teams were knotted at 2-2 after the regulation seven innings and Escalon took the lead in the top of the eighth.
Franceschetti walked and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by McDonald. Leighton Pangilinan then hit a sharp grounder that the second baseman couldn't handle and Franceschetti came in to score.
Modesto Christian got the leadoff hitter on with a single in the bottom of the eighth but got him no further and Escalon had the win.
"We expected a tough game going to their place, we figured it would be a one run game," admitted Largent.
