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East Union clobbers Lathrop in 5 innings
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LATHROP — With a top of the lineup that went a combined 10 for 14 with eight RBI and Marco Gonzales dominating from the hill, East Union rolled to an 11-0 five-inning mercy rule win over Lathrop in Valley Oak League baseball action on Wednesday.
“I am very pleased with our approach to the game today,” Lancers coach Dan Triglia said. “We put the ball in play with authority and Marco (Gonzales) did a fantastic job as we count on him to do. He had no walks and was always around the dish. I thought our defense was sound except for a couple of different plays but that is something we can clean up.
“We played heads-up baseball on the bases. (Leadoff batter) Eric Flores kind of set the tone for us and we followed and took the extra base when necessary. It was an all-around complete game for us.”
Gyse Hulsebosch, the No. 2 batter for East Union (4-3 VOL, 7-9 overall), was 4 for 4 with a bases-clearing double in the fifth.
“I felt really confident up there,” Hulsebosch said. “Eric (Flores) would get the job done in front of me and I would try and hit him in.”
Flores went 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs.
Gonzales was masterful on the bump, allowing just three hits while striking out five and walking none. Hitting third, the East Union senior was 3 for 3 with an RBI double.
“I just came out and tried to do the best I could,” Gonzales said. “I couldn’t do it without my defense, their support, and us swinging the bats.
“Everyone on the team wants to hit, and when I hit like I did it is a blessing and it helps the team.”
Brayden Hardcastle rounded out the blistering top of the Lancers lineup, batting fourth and going 2 for 4 with three RBI.
The Spartans (1-6, 4-9-1) got runners to second and third in the third inning due to an error and other than that did not get anyone past first base.
“We didn’t execute well defensively,” Lathrop coach Randy Baltazar said. “They were able to put the ball in play, we let some plays go by us and we didn’t make the plays we needed to. They had three or four runs one inning with two outs.
“We have to do a better job defensively – all the way around, really – to get into a competitive game with East Union.”
Sophomore
East Union 12, Lathrop 0
Tyler Slaughter took a perfect game into the fourth inning for the Lancers and ended up allowing two hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
Jacob Garcia was 3 for 4 with three runs for East Union. Cristian Flores (two runs) was 3 for 3, Matthew Pilkay (two runs) 2 for 3 and Fernando Segura doubled and had a sacrifice. Tyler Soulier, Alejandro Flores, Robert Howley and Elias Andrews also contributed to the East Union attack.