Mistakes plague County in loss to City
Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune
Madera County was well represented at the 55th annual City/County All-Star Baseball game Sunday at Chukchansi Park. From left are Jayce Harvey (Chowchilla), Max Vestal (Liberty), Charlie Monterrosa (Madera native and San Joaquin Memorial), Brian Monges (Madera South), Tyler Zamora (Madera), Michael Monreal (Madera native and San Joaquin Memorial), Murf Gray (Madera South), Adam Landero (Madera), Jakson Bucher (Liberty), Coach Alan Sandvoval (Madera south) and Coach Jeff Palmer (Chowchilla).
The County All-Star baseball team had too many mistakes to overcome to beat the City in the 55th annual City/County All-Star Baseball game held at Chukchansi Park.
The County had more hit batters and errors combined than the City had hits in a 10-1 loss Sunday. City banged out eight hits, but five hit batters and five errors deterred any momentum the County gained.
Madera County was well-represented at the game with 10 players from Madera County Schools (Madera, Madera South, Liberyt, Minarets, Chowchilla and Yosemite) and two from the City’s San Joaquin Memorial (Michael Monreal and Charlie Monterrosa).
In addition, Div. IV Central Section champion head coach from Madera South, Alan Sandoval, and Chowchilla coach Jeff Palmer were members of the coaching staff.
Seven of the nine players appeared as position players and had three hits combined. The Madera duo of Adam Landero and Tyler Zamora had singles that almost brought in a run. Madera South’s Murf Gray drove in the County’s lone run with a single and had two deep fly outs that could have left a high school park.
On the mound, both Brian Monges (Madera South) and Michael Ward (Yosemite) kept the City off the scoreboard. Monges came in with pressure and allowed an inherited runner to score. He tossed two innings without allowing a run. Ward had a perfect inning with a strikeout.
Liberty was represented by Jakson Bucher and Max Vestal. Monges and Gray were the only two Madera South representatives as were Zamora and Landero for Madera. Ward was the only Badger on the team while Minarets had two players — Trevor Jobinger and Mikey Hershberger. Chowchilla’s Jayce Harvey represented the Tribe.
However, it was the depth of the City pitching staff that kept the County from gaining any momentum. They closed out the game by retiring 12 of the final batters, including six strikeouts.
The County had the first chance to score in the top of the first inning. Giovanni Groppetti (Kerman) was hit by a pitch, but he was erased on a double play. Sanger’s Joey Rodriguez started a two-out rally with a single to right. Landero blooped a single to right to put two on.
Zamora then singled into left field. Rodriguez got the wave around third, but stumbled on his way to the plate and was tagged out after a rundown to end the inning.
The County scored its only run in the top of the third. Ryan Warkentin (Reedley) reached on a bunt single. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. After a flyout, Gray singled to left and Warkentin scored the first run of the game.
However, the City promptly took the lead in the bottom of the inning. Sanger’s Andrew Herrera looked to get out of the inning with a one-out grounder to third. The third baseman’s throw to second was too wide for Zamora to get and went into right field for an error.
A walk and a single drove in two runs for a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth.
In the bottom of the fourth, McLane-Fresno’s Benny Hernandez blooped a ball into right field. County’s right fielder (Riley Beck, Kingsburg) and the second baseman collided and Hernandez reached second for a double. Beck was carted off the field and was diagnosed with a torn MCL. He was later chosen as the County’s Most Inspirational Player.
The next City batter grounded out to Gray at second. However, the throw to try to get Hernandez at third went wide and Hernandez scored for a 3-1 lead.
The City broke it open in the bottom of the fifth with four runs on just two hits. Two throwing errors, two hit batters and a walk helped the City take a 7-1 lead.
Ward had an uneventful bottom of the sixth inning with a pair of flyouts and a strikeout.
Monreal had a 1-2-3 top of the seventh inning the ended with a line drive and a runner getting doubled off of first.
City added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh. A walk and two hit batters led off the inning. The next batter doubled in two runs.
Monges came in to put out the fire. He allowed a sacrifice fly to drive in the third run of the inning. However, Monges got a pair of flyouts to end the inning without any more damage.
Monges had to wriggle out of trouble in the bottom of the eighth and it stemmed from a lead-off walk. Monges got a strikeout after the runner stole second. The next batter reached on an error and Monges hit the next batter to load the bases.
However, Monges got a 6-3 double play to get out of the inning unscathed.
The County went down in order in the ninth with Monterrosa closing it out for the City win.
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