LATHROP – For the second consecutive game the Spreckles Park 9-10-year old all-star squad tired to play catch up, but the Tracy American “A” all-stars would not surrender, holding on for an 8-4 win and bringing the Spreckles Park postseason to an end.
Spreckles didn’t help its cause, spotting Tracy an 8-0 lead after the game’s first three innings. Tracy put up two apiece in the first two innings and then applied the separation with a four-run fourth inning. After the 8-0 deficit, Spreckles tried to pull its season from the brink of completion.
Trey Richer, Hunter Halleck and Josh Tanner put together back-to-back-to-back singles before Jamille Grady collected an RBI with a bases loaded walk. Dylan Heath and Mason James drew RBI walks sandwiched around an RBI single from Jesse Babauta. Cutting away to the four-run deficit would be as close as they would get.
Heath and teammate Diego Durante came on in relief and held Tracy off the scoreboard, but offensively, Spreckles was unable to manufacture any runs, even after getting runners into scoring position. Spreckles proved capable of getting batters in scoring position in each of its final four at bat’s, yet plated no runs.
In the final frame, Heath poked a double, followed by a hard-hit single from Babauta to set the table, but consecutive Spreckles Park strikeouts would close the affair.
The contest did not unfold like a runaway Tracy blowout. Tracy, a well-coached, well-balanced team, simply chipped runs on the scoreboard and relied heavily on its relief pitching to keep Spreckles at bay. Relievers Garren Harris and Justin Crone finished the contest for Tracy starter J.J. Jones, with Crone striking out five over the final two innings.
Tracy American “A” will now face Tracy National “B” in the loser’s bracket finale, with an opportunity to face undefeated Salida Sunday for the District 67 championship. The winning Tracy squad will have to beat Salida twice to walk off with the district title.
Spreckles didn’t help its cause, spotting Tracy an 8-0 lead after the game’s first three innings. Tracy put up two apiece in the first two innings and then applied the separation with a four-run fourth inning. After the 8-0 deficit, Spreckles tried to pull its season from the brink of completion.
Trey Richer, Hunter Halleck and Josh Tanner put together back-to-back-to-back singles before Jamille Grady collected an RBI with a bases loaded walk. Dylan Heath and Mason James drew RBI walks sandwiched around an RBI single from Jesse Babauta. Cutting away to the four-run deficit would be as close as they would get.
Heath and teammate Diego Durante came on in relief and held Tracy off the scoreboard, but offensively, Spreckles was unable to manufacture any runs, even after getting runners into scoring position. Spreckles proved capable of getting batters in scoring position in each of its final four at bat’s, yet plated no runs.
In the final frame, Heath poked a double, followed by a hard-hit single from Babauta to set the table, but consecutive Spreckles Park strikeouts would close the affair.
The contest did not unfold like a runaway Tracy blowout. Tracy, a well-coached, well-balanced team, simply chipped runs on the scoreboard and relied heavily on its relief pitching to keep Spreckles at bay. Relievers Garren Harris and Justin Crone finished the contest for Tracy starter J.J. Jones, with Crone striking out five over the final two innings.
Tracy American “A” will now face Tracy National “B” in the loser’s bracket finale, with an opportunity to face undefeated Salida Sunday for the District 67 championship. The winning Tracy squad will have to beat Salida twice to walk off with the district title.
