FRESNO — Jack Thomson took his Sierra varsity baseball team down to the 40th Fresno Easter Classic for the experience, but it has turned out to be a taxing adventure.
The Timberwolves are 2-1 after three barnburners in two days, the latest being Tuesday morning’s 10-8 victory over Frontier of Bakersfield.
Sierra (10-5) opened with two extra-inning thrillers Monday: First a 10-9 win over Madera in eight, and a 4-2 heartbreaker to Fresno during the nine-frame nightcap.
The Fresno game didn’t end until about 10:45 p.m., and the Timberwolves had to get up a 7 Tuesday morning for a 10 o’clock meeting with Frontier.
The massive tournament is held on nine sites and features 61 games this week.
“We just had three games in a 24-hour period,” Thomson said. “For us it was a challenge to play with consistent energy and focus, but we were able to pull that off.
“There are a lot of good teams down here in Fresno, and Frontier is one of the better teams out of Bakersfield. We hung in there.”
Andy Scott led Sierra’s wild comeback against Frontier (9-6-1) with a three-run homer that put the T’Wolves up 9-8 in the top of the seventh. Frontier was ahead 7-1 in the fifth. Scott finished 2 for 3, Jordan Louie was 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs and Jonathan Davis chipped in two hits in three at-bats.
Steven Rallios was the winning pitcher after throwing 3 1/3 innings in relief.
Scott and Louie started the tournament on fire.
Sierra squandered a 9-3 lead to Madera (9-7), but Louie’s run on a fielder’s choice in the top of the eighth saved the Timberwolves from a loss. Louie ended up 3 for 5. Scott rapped out two doubles and drove in three runs while going 3 for 4. Jordan Ribota and Davis (triple) were each 2 for 4.
In Game 2, Lukas Owens (fielder’s choice) and Louie (single) drove in a run apiece to spot Sierra a 2-0 lead against Fresno but were shut out the rest of the way. The Timberwolves failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the fifth.
Fresno plated two runs in the top of the ninth to clinch the win. The loss was magnified for Sierra after relief pitcher Luis Barraza went down with a knee injury while fielding a bunt. Thomson said he may be out for the season with a possible ACL tear.
Sierra closes the tournament with Sanger (2-12) today at 1 p.m.
The Timberwolves are 2-1 after three barnburners in two days, the latest being Tuesday morning’s 10-8 victory over Frontier of Bakersfield.
Sierra (10-5) opened with two extra-inning thrillers Monday: First a 10-9 win over Madera in eight, and a 4-2 heartbreaker to Fresno during the nine-frame nightcap.
The Fresno game didn’t end until about 10:45 p.m., and the Timberwolves had to get up a 7 Tuesday morning for a 10 o’clock meeting with Frontier.
The massive tournament is held on nine sites and features 61 games this week.
“We just had three games in a 24-hour period,” Thomson said. “For us it was a challenge to play with consistent energy and focus, but we were able to pull that off.
“There are a lot of good teams down here in Fresno, and Frontier is one of the better teams out of Bakersfield. We hung in there.”
Andy Scott led Sierra’s wild comeback against Frontier (9-6-1) with a three-run homer that put the T’Wolves up 9-8 in the top of the seventh. Frontier was ahead 7-1 in the fifth. Scott finished 2 for 3, Jordan Louie was 3 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs and Jonathan Davis chipped in two hits in three at-bats.
Steven Rallios was the winning pitcher after throwing 3 1/3 innings in relief.
Scott and Louie started the tournament on fire.
Sierra squandered a 9-3 lead to Madera (9-7), but Louie’s run on a fielder’s choice in the top of the eighth saved the Timberwolves from a loss. Louie ended up 3 for 5. Scott rapped out two doubles and drove in three runs while going 3 for 4. Jordan Ribota and Davis (triple) were each 2 for 4.
In Game 2, Lukas Owens (fielder’s choice) and Louie (single) drove in a run apiece to spot Sierra a 2-0 lead against Fresno but were shut out the rest of the way. The Timberwolves failed to capitalize on a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity in the fifth.
Fresno plated two runs in the top of the ninth to clinch the win. The loss was magnified for Sierra after relief pitcher Luis Barraza went down with a knee injury while fielding a bunt. Thomson said he may be out for the season with a possible ACL tear.
Sierra closes the tournament with Sanger (2-12) today at 1 p.m.
— Jonamar Jacinto
