ESCALON – Ripon pitcher Joseph Molthen carried a perfect game into the fifth inning at Loureiro Field on Tuesday when Escalon preyed on a pair of fielding miscues.
A throwing error to put up two runs that would hold up for the rest of the game, as the host Cougars won 2-0 and knocked the Indians out of contention for the Trans-Valley League baseball championship.
“That’s baseball,” Ripon coach Matt Gilmer said. “That’s the way the ball rolls sometimes. You have to tip your hat to them. They executed and got the ball in play, and we made a couple of mistakes and that ended up being the difference. It was a great ball game for both teams. Both pitchers commanded the zone and threw strikes. They ended up having the better day.”
Molthen struck out eight and gave up just two hits, both in the fifth inning. Owen Wilbur came on in relief in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. He ended that threat with a strikeout and struck out the side in order in the sixth.
“Owen Wilbur has been like that for us all year,” Gilmer said. “He has been our best relief guy.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s bases loaded or not, we know he’s going to come in and throw strikes. He probably has one of the best sliders in the area, and he is able to throw it on any count.”
The Indians (8-3 TVL, 15-9 overall) had their biggest threat in the third inning when they loaded the bases. Landon Kackley started off the inning with a single. Dawson Downs was intentionally walked and Nate Dorn drew a two-out walk to load the bases. A flyout ended the frame.
Ripon left five runners total in scoring position, due in part to a stellar pitching performance by Escalon’s Greg Adams and the stellar defense provided by the Cougars (10-1, 15-10).
Adams struck out 11 and allowed just two hits.
“All it took was one inning,” Escalon coach Gino Franceschetti said. “When Greg (Adams) is on the mound, it seems like all we need is one run. It has been a lot of grind the whole year, and now we have just one more.
“We knew it was the type of game when one error could make the difference, so the whole emphasis of Monday’s practice was clean baseball, do the little things right and we will see how the game unfolds.”
The two teams finish the TVL season on Thursday at Mistlin Sports complex at 4 p.m. The Cougars are tied for first in the TVL with Hughson, and there is one league game remaining for each team.
