After three straight blowouts to start the season, East Union head coach Dan Triglia was hoping that the three matchups against Lodi, Tracy and Tokay scheduled for this week would offer his Lancers a challenge heading into Valley Oak League play.
If Tuesday afternoon’s contest against the Flames at Agostini Field was any indication, the skipper is going to get his wish.
With an outcome that instantly brought to memory the never-say-die 2008 Lancers, East Union erased a two-run deficit with three in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 4-3 win and remain undefeated at 4-0.
East Union takes the show on the road this afternoon for a meeting with the Bulldogs at Tracy High.
“This early in the year, this was a very positive game for us,” Triglia said. “Team chemistry. It builds a belief in each other when different guys come through in different situations.”
The Lancers could point to a number of heroes afterward, be it Wade Morten, who hit a clutch two-out, two-run single in the seventh to tie it, or Garrett Fisher, who smacked the game-winning single a batter later.
Then there was Joe Modesto, who worked out of jams in the sixth and seventh with strikeouts; and starter Steve Weddington, who allowed just two runs on five strikeouts through four.
“Weddington was outstanding,” Triglia said. “We extended him a little bit with the pitch count, and we pulled him for that reason.”
After Jordan Clark singled and came around to score in the second, Lodi took a 2-1 lead on Geeze Borges’ single in the top of the fourth.
Modesto took over in the fifth and struck out two to end it after allowing a leadoff single and a walk.
In the sixth, Modesto worked out of another jam, this time with a strikeout and a 6-4 force at second after an inning-ending double play was called back when Modesto was called for a balk.
“I didn’t feel it was a balk, I thought I came set,” Modesto said. “All you can do is pretend it never happened and go from there.”
After Chad Holley led off the top of the seventh with a homer, the Lancers allowed two more runners on back-to-back fielding errors.
But Modesto held again, this time striking out two more to limit the damage and set up the come-from-behind magic.
“Huge,” Triglia said. “Battling that adversity.
“(Modesto) reacted the way I expected him to. He competes, and you saw that in his nature. He didn’t get flustered. He didn’t overthrow, or try to win the game by himself.”
John Ott led off the home half with a ringing single, before Modesto planted a one-out double off the wall in left.
“I saw the pitch and I turned on it,” Modesto said, “and good things happened.”
After Weddington drew a walk to load it, and Marshall Swift (2B) flew out to deep center, Morten drilled a line-drive into left.
Modesto scored the tying run by sliding around the tag at home, and Fisher ended it moments later with a screamer through the hole.
If Tuesday afternoon’s contest against the Flames at Agostini Field was any indication, the skipper is going to get his wish.
With an outcome that instantly brought to memory the never-say-die 2008 Lancers, East Union erased a two-run deficit with three in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 4-3 win and remain undefeated at 4-0.
East Union takes the show on the road this afternoon for a meeting with the Bulldogs at Tracy High.
“This early in the year, this was a very positive game for us,” Triglia said. “Team chemistry. It builds a belief in each other when different guys come through in different situations.”
The Lancers could point to a number of heroes afterward, be it Wade Morten, who hit a clutch two-out, two-run single in the seventh to tie it, or Garrett Fisher, who smacked the game-winning single a batter later.
Then there was Joe Modesto, who worked out of jams in the sixth and seventh with strikeouts; and starter Steve Weddington, who allowed just two runs on five strikeouts through four.
“Weddington was outstanding,” Triglia said. “We extended him a little bit with the pitch count, and we pulled him for that reason.”
After Jordan Clark singled and came around to score in the second, Lodi took a 2-1 lead on Geeze Borges’ single in the top of the fourth.
Modesto took over in the fifth and struck out two to end it after allowing a leadoff single and a walk.
In the sixth, Modesto worked out of another jam, this time with a strikeout and a 6-4 force at second after an inning-ending double play was called back when Modesto was called for a balk.
“I didn’t feel it was a balk, I thought I came set,” Modesto said. “All you can do is pretend it never happened and go from there.”
After Chad Holley led off the top of the seventh with a homer, the Lancers allowed two more runners on back-to-back fielding errors.
But Modesto held again, this time striking out two more to limit the damage and set up the come-from-behind magic.
“Huge,” Triglia said. “Battling that adversity.
“(Modesto) reacted the way I expected him to. He competes, and you saw that in his nature. He didn’t get flustered. He didn’t overthrow, or try to win the game by himself.”
John Ott led off the home half with a ringing single, before Modesto planted a one-out double off the wall in left.
“I saw the pitch and I turned on it,” Modesto said, “and good things happened.”
After Weddington drew a walk to load it, and Marshall Swift (2B) flew out to deep center, Morten drilled a line-drive into left.
Modesto scored the tying run by sliding around the tag at home, and Fisher ended it moments later with a screamer through the hole.
