After a 20-run road loss to Oakdale on Wednesday, East Union appeared to be in for more of the same at Agostini Field on Friday when the Mustangs scored six runs in the top of the first inning.
A fortuitous double play stopped the bleeding for the Lancers in that opening frame, and they began to claw their way back into the game before pulling out a thrilling 16-13 Valley Oak League baseball win.
Oakdale (4-2 VOL, 8-3 overall) stretched its early lead to 11-2 in the middle of the fourth inning before East Union (3-3, 8-5) mounted its big comeback to steal the series win. The Lancers won the opener on Monday, 6-5.
“At the end of that first inning when we got that double play, I thought we had a chance,” East Union coach Dan Bauer said. “I kept telling the kids to just chip away, chip away, that they had to believe.
“I know it’s a cliché, but if we play quality baseball and take care of the baseball, we’re a good ball team.”
With the score tied at 11 and two out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Julian Ledesma powered a ball back up the middle, scoring Ryder Tompkins to put the Lancers ahead for good. Ledesma scored three runs, reaching on a fielder’s choice in the sixth and a bases-loaded walk in the fourth.
“That base hit up the middle felt amazing.” Ledesma said. “I have felt nothing like that.
“I was thinking up and away and that is what I did.”
East Union put up two six-run innings – the sixth and the fourth. Kirk Simoni (2 for 4, four RBI, double) capped off the fourth inning with a two-RBI double, scoring Efren Diaz (three runs) and Ledesma to draw the Lancers to within 11-8. In the sixth Simoni legged out an infield single and ended up on third when the throw to get him sailed wide, scoring Peyton Heath and Brayden Camara to bump the East Union lead to 16-11.
“I was just up there just trying to do my best to support the team however that may be,” Simoni said. “I got the opportunity to drive in some runs, and I was very grateful to be able to do so.
“It was an exciting win.”
Heath went 2 for 3 with a walk, scoring three runs and knocking in two.
“We played hard,” Heath said. “We never gave up, we just kept playing our game — the East Union game.
“We don’t give in. We just play hard no matter what.”
Camara took the mound in the fifth inning, trailing 11-8. He sprinkled six hits through those final three innings when Oakdale loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Camara induced a pop out to shortstop for the second out and a grounder to second to end the game.
“I was just throwing what my coach and my catcher was calling,” Camara said. “I was hitting my spots, and I have to give a shout out to my defense. They were making amazing plays.”
The game ended in relative darkness
“I really couldn’t see the signs at the end of the game,” Camara said. “I was just kind of throwing.”
Chace Ravalin went 3 for 4 with a triple, two RBI and three runs for the Mustangs. Griffin Costa (two runs) and Peyton Wallace (RBI, two runs) were each 2 for 5 for Oakdale.
The Lancers travel to Modesto to face Enochs for a non-league game on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
