Yoe baseball sweeps Lorena to move on in playoffs
The Yoe baseball team is just a few short weeks from playing for a State Championshiop.
They began the second round of the playoffs with game one on Friday, May 14, against the Lorena Leopards at Salado High School. The Yoemen were victorious, winning 3-2. They completed the sweep of Lorena with a 3-0 win on Saturday, May 15.
They will face Whitney in a three-game series beginning Thursday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m. in Salado. Game 2 will be Friday, May 21, in Whitney at 7:30 p.m. and game 3 if needed will be at The Yards of Cameron on Saturday, May 22, at 2 p.m.
Brannon McCall (6) started on the mound and allowed a leadoff double then hit a batter one out later. He was able to get out of the inning with a pop out to the shortstop, Tracer Lopez (3). Ryan Host (10) came up big in the bottom of the first inning with a one out triple for Cameron. He would score on an RBI (runs batted in) groundout by Landon Greene (9) for the first run of the game.
The bottom of the first inning ended on close groundout where Dillan Akin (4) slid to first base but did not get there in time. McCall returned to the mound in the top of the second inning and allowed two out single. He then allowed a run on a single by Lorena to tie the game. The Yoemen then allowed a base runner on a fielding error. McCall then hit a batter to load the bases. He would get out of the jam and keep the Leopards run total at one as the top of the second inning ended on a line out to center field.
“That’s been our game, pitch and play defense,” Coach Hector Delgadillo said. “Again, despite the errors in RF (right field), our defense continued to play and make plays behind Brannon.”
Cameron couldn’t score in the bottom of the second inning. McCall pitched a shutout third inning, keeping the score 1-1.
Cameron didn’t score in the bottom of the third inning. McCall pitched a clean fourth inning. Cameron came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning as Greene reached first base on an infield single. The inning ended on a fly out to third base.
McCall returned to the mound in the top of the fifth inning and allowed a leadoff walk but escaped the inning without any damage.
The Yoemen came to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning as McCall reached second base on a fielding error. Kason Goolsby (14) came in as the pinch runner for McCall. Cameron didn’t score in the bottom of the fifth inning as the inning ended on a groundout. McCall came back on the mound for the top of the sixth inning and he hit a batter with two outs.
The inning ended on a close fielder’s choice out by Greene where he tagged the Lorena runner out at third base. Cameron started the bottom of the sixth inning with a leadoff walk by Lopez. He advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Host.
This was then followed by a single for Greene. Lopez would come home to score on an RBI bunt single by Dillan Akin (4) to retake the lead 2-1. Armando Reyes (2) came in as the pinch runner for Akin. Greene scored on an RBI single by Marino Cardona (15) for a 3-1 lead where he received some big help on the play due to a fielding mistake by the Lorena catcher.
Carlos Bolivar (8) would then come in as the pinch runner for Marino Cardona. Both advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Adam Cardona (1). The bottom of the sixth inning ended on a strikeout With Cameron leading 3-1.
“The bottom of the sixth was huge,” Delgadillo said. “We told our boys we were going to have to execute at the plate with runners on and we did just that. We work our bunting game in practice and it’s good to see when it pays off.”
McCall started the top of the seventh inning with two consecutive walks before getting the first out of the inning. After that, Coach Delgadillo decided to make a pitching change. Lopez came in for McCall. McCall overall allowed two runs on only three hits, and multiple times found himself in trouble with baserunners but was able to fight and grind his way out of the jams.
“He showed resilience despite the errors and the calls at the plate,” Delgadillo said. “Strike zone was a bit inconsistent on both sides but he battled through it. We felt that he trusted his defense enough to help him through those situations.”
Lopez came in a tight spot and allowed a walk to load the bases then allowed a bases loaded walk to make it a 3-2 game. Thankfully, he came up clutch after that walk with a strikeout and a groundout to seal Camerons win 3-2.
“Tracer is a competitor,” Delgadillo said. “He’ll compete in any situation. It was good to see him get out there and get the job done with the bases loaded.”
The Yoemen would be back at it the next day to try for the series sweep.
The Yoemen were able to complete the series sweep in a 3-0 shutout to advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Cameron started the top of the first inning with a leadoff single by Lopez (3). That would be followed by a single by Host (10) who stole second base. Lopez came home on an RBI groundout by Greene (9) for the first run of the game.
Cameron kept it up with a two out walk by Marino Cardona (15). The top of the first inning ended on a groundout to first base by Adam Cardona (1). Greene pitched a clean first inning. Cameron didn’t score in the second inning. In the bottom of the second inning, Greene allowed a one out single then hit a batter with two outs.
The next Lorena batter reached first base on a fielding error. Fortunately, Greene got out of a bases loaded jam without giving up a run. Cameron couldn’t score in the top of the third inning. Greene returned to the mound in the bottom of the third inning and allowed a one out single. He then hit a batter with two outs. Greene was able to escape the inning by getting a pop out to Marino Cardona at first base.
The Yoemen started off the top of the fourth inning with a leadoff walk for Akin (4), Reyes (2) came in as the pinch runner for Akin. He advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Marino Cardona. Cameron failed to score in the top of the fourth inning ended on a groundout.
Greene came to the mound and allowed two one out walks the bottom of the fourth inning. He got out of the tight spot in the inning with two consecutive outs. Jaidyn Sanchez (11) led off the Yoemen in the top of the fifth inning with a walk, where he stole second base. Lopez reached first base on a walk. Host was then hit by a pitch loading the bases.
Greene came up big with a two RBI line drive single to left field for a 3-0 lead, Goolsby (14) came in as the pinch runner for Greene. Host was picked off out at second base for the second inning. Akin hit a single to right field. Reyes came in as the pinch runner for Akin. The top of the fifth inning ended on a line out to centerfield with the score staying at 3-0.
“Our guys have been resilient,” Delgadillo said. “We were selective at the plate, got guys on base and put together some good AB’s (at bats). Our top of the lineup came in clutch and put the bat on ball. Timely hits.”
Greene came back out to pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning and allowed a leadoff walk. His defense backed him up and completed a double play on the next at bat. Greene was still not
out of it as he hit the next batter. He escaped the inning on a fly out to the outfield. Cameron started the top of the fifth inning with a leadoff walk by Adam Cardona, then he stole second base. The Yoemen couldn’t do much else as the top of the sixth inning ended on a strikeout. Greene pitched a clean sixth inning.
The Yoemen led off the top of the seventh inning with a walk by Lopez then stole second base. He would get tagged out attempting to steal third base. The inning ended on a groundout by Greene. After getting a leadoff lineout to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning, Greene showed signs of fatigue by hitting a batter then gave up a single to the next Lorena hitter. Greene battled to finish the game as his defense was able to rally behind him and end the game with a double play to seal the 3-0 shutout victory and the series.
Overall, Greene pitched a phenomenal game allowing no runs on three hits and threw five strikeouts. Like McCall in the first game, Greene also dealt with an inconsistent strike zone from the umpire, but he pushed through and managed to prevail.
“Landen just kept his composure,” Delgadillo said. “He had confidence on the mound but when he struggled at times he found a way to push through. There at the end he said he wanted to finish it and so he did.”
The Yoemen’s next opponent is a familiar one in the Whitney Wildcats. Cameron split a double header against them back in mid-March, losing the first game 2-1 and winning the second game 7-0.
“We’re a bit familiar with what Whitney has,” Delgadillo said. “We have an idea of what we’re up against. They are a good ball club and nothing will be easy. Looking forward to a good series.”