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YC closer to repeating as champion
Pope surrenders just one run in playoff opener
SACRAMENTO — After the playoff jitters were shaken off, Yuba City High settled in and played like defending section champs.
The Honkers pulled away from a narrow 2-1 lead in the fifth inning with a two-RBI double by Aaron Crouch and Yuba City held on to win 6-1 over Rodriguez High (Fairfield) in their Sac-Joaquin Section Div. III opener at Dan McAuliffe Ballpark on Thursday.
Brandon Pope gave up one run in the second, but proved to be too overpowering for Rodriguez as the senior allowed six hits, struck out six and picked off two base runners for the complete-game win.
"Ever since I've known Brandon, he's always thrived off these games," Yuba City coach Jim Stassi said. "He enjoyed every minute of this game."
The result was hardly a shock to the crowd on hand. However, on the field right next door, Bella Vista went hitless against Vanden, and the 4-0 outcome was an eye-opener.
"They have a great pitcher and some pretty good hitting," Stassi said of Vanden, who will face the Honkers (26-2) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Pope held the Mustangs (17-11) scoreless in the first and Honkers took the early 1-0 lead in the bottom half when Jake Stassi led off with a double, moved over on a wild pitch and scored on a catcher's throw down to second.
After a long scoring drought, James Haymore took matters into his own hands.
The junior right fielder blasted a solo home run over the left-center fence and on to State University East Street to give the Honkers a 2-1 edge.
"That home run was big," Stassi said. "That hit and Aaron's double, both of those were big for us."
The Honkers unloaded in the fifth, when Jake Stassi, who finished 3-for-4, singled to left, Max Stassi was intentionally walked with two outs and Crouch showed off his skills on the field he'll be playing on next season for Sacramento State.
Crouch sliced a double down the line in left to score both runners and lift the Honkers to a comfortable 4-1 lead.
Haymore and Tyler Updike then reached on errors, the second scoring Crouch. Hunter Graves roped an RBI-single to score Haymore, giving the Honkers the 6-1 advantage. "We talked about this before the game, the playoff atmosphere is so much different," coach Stassi said about the team's slow start. "We had one of our worst pregame warm-ups all season."
The game also had some outstanding defensive plays, and some better left unmentioned.
Jake Stassi laid out in left field for a run-saving catch in the fourth.
With a runner on first in the fifth, Pope overthrew on a pick-off attempt and the ball escaped into the outfield.
Rodriguez' Cameron Richmond shed some speed and rounded the bags when the throw back into the infield went rolling into no man's land. Third baseman Justin Lamb picked it up just in time to make a solid throw home from the pitcher's mound, and Max Stassi did the rest, blocking the plate and swiping the runner for the out. Zach Walden then dove to snag a hard-hit ball in the infield to record the putout to end the Mustangs' threat.
The two teams combined for seven errors and 13 runners left on base.
Max Stassi walked three times, two of which were intentional, while Hunter Graves went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Mustangs were led by Richmond, who went 2-for-4 from the plate, and Domenick Romero, who went 2-for-3.
