MHS baseball stuns defending Valley champ

After dropping its first two games of the North Tournament, the Monache baseball team came back to pull off a surprising 9-7 win over Frontier on Wednesday.

Frontier is the defending Division II Valley champion and returns a strong nucleus from last year’s team. “It’s a real nice win for us against a team that’s probably going to be right there in our division this year,” Monache coach Anthony Gale said.

Monache struggled offensively in its first two games but broke out against Frontier, scoring five runs in the third inning to take a 5-0 lead. Jordan Vasquez doubled to ignite the rally.

The Marauders added four runs in the fifth to take a 9-1 lead. Frontier scored one run in the bottom of the fifth and five runs in the sixth before the game was called by darkness.

Derek Pharis gave Monache its third straight outstanding start on the mound to pick up the win, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings. “He gave us five really good innings,” Gale said.

Offensively for Monache, Nick Aguilar was 2-for-2 with two runs and reached base four times, Michael Halopoff was 2-for-4 with three RBI and Pharis was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double.

Monache will play Bakersfield at Bakersfield High in the tournament today.

SOFTBALL

MONACHE WINS TWO

The Monache softball is off to a much better start this season than a year ago.

Monache won its first two games of the season at the North Tournament, beating Tehachapi 6-1 and Garces 6-1. “It took me a while to be able to say that last year,” said Monache coach Dave Koontz about winning two games.

The Marauders are also off to a much stronger start offensively than last year. Against Tehachapi, Raeleen Torres went the distance on the mound to pick up the win. Offensively, Jazmin Brown had two hits and two RBI and Paige Simmons scored two runs.

“We just kept manufacturing runs,” Koontz said. “It really was a team effort.”

Danielle Emerson went the distance to pick up the win against Garces. Simmons had three RBI and two runs. Koontz said his team also played well defensively in both games.

Monache will continue play in the tournament against Bakersfield High and North today.

PHS DROPS TWO

Porterville lost to North 11-2 and Wasco 5-3 in the North Tournament. Alisha Vera pitched a complete game against North. “She really should have given up only four runs,” said Porterville co-coach Lance Wallace, whose team struggled defensively. Alyssa Morgan hit a two-run home run for PHS. “North High School is just a really good softball program,” Wallace said.

Against Wasco, PHS trailed 5-3 when it had the bases loaded with no outs when the game was called due to time after four innings. Vera started on the mound and Sara Vidrio pitched two scoreless innings for the Panthers. Also for PHS, Rochelle Lupio went 2-for-3 and Vera was 1-for-3.

PHS will continue play in the tournament at 3:30 p.m. today against West at North.

LINDSAY 8, WOODLAKE 1

Sammi Jauregui had an impressive day on the mound and at the plate and Kelcey Knutson continued her hot hitting as Lindsay improved to 3-0 on the season and in the Strathmore Tournament. Jauregui (2-0) allowed three hits over six innings to pick up the win and went 3-or-4 with a double, RBI, two runs and two stolen bases.

Knutson was 3-or-3 with a double and two RBI and Alexsis Arguelles ws 2-for-4 with an RBI for Lindsay. The Cardinals will continue play in the tournament at home on Friday against Parlier.