Yoemen, Troy to decide district championship Friday

The Cameron Yoemen baseball team traveled to take on the McGregor Bulldogs on Friday. The Yoemen defeated the Bulldogs 10-1. 

Cameron scored eight runs in the first inning and never looked back. The offensive onslaught was aided by Mason Kuzel, Ryan Host, Marino Cardona, Zay Gillmon, and Braylon Drake, all collecting RBIs in the inning. Armando Reyes led the team in hits, going 3 for 4 at the plate.

The Yoemen went back on the road against the Rockdale Tigers on Tuesday. The Yoemen defeated Rockdale 7-0 as two pitchers, Ryan Host and Yovanni Cerros, combined to throw a shutout. Cameron got things started in the first inning with two runs. The Yoemen scored the first run when Braylon Drake came home on a hard hit ground ball by Landen Greene. Armando Reyes brought home Connor Jeter on a sacrifice fly to score the second run.

The Yoemen added another run in the second inning aided by a line drive double by Ryan Host. Cameron blew the game open with a run in the sixth inning and three runs in the seventh inning. Kason Goolsby, Landen Greene, Armando Reyes, and Dillan Akin all had RBIs in those two innings. Cameron racked up ten hits in the game. Ryan Host, Marino Cardona, and Landen Greene each had multiple hits for the Yoemen. 

“Just kids going back to the approach,” Coach Nick De La Cerda said. “When we score early, sometimes we think it’s ok. But getting them back in the approach of attacking, hunting fastballs, fighting off curveballs, putting the ball in play, making them make defensive plays.” 

Ryan Host led the Yoemen to victory on the mound. The righty allowed four hits and zero runs over six innings, striking out six and walking zero. Yovanni Cerros threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen. He was lights out, allowing no runs on no hits.

With this win, Cameron has an overall record of 19-8 and a district record of 10-3. 

Up next for the Yoemen will be a home game with the Troy Trojans in a pivotal game to decide the district championship. 

“Same thing we’ve always preached: stay locked in and attack early, score often and match their scoring if they want to score as well,” Coach De La Cerda said. “Last time we played them, it was a good game, it went into extra innings. But going up there, knowing that it’s in our hands on what we’re going to do for playoffs, we got to win on Friday.” 

The game will be on Friday and first pitch is set for 7 p.m.