In late February Turlock High began its season of baseball by losing a one run game to Lincoln High. After shaking off the initial disappointment, the Bulldogs responded with an Atch Pedretti Tournament Championship and a perfect 6-0 start to their Central California Conference season—parts of the sum of a current 15 game win streak.
Turlock continued its season of success on Monday at the Dick Windemuth Tournament and carried it all the way into its Day 3 matchup with Johansen High on Wednesday. The Bulldogs plundered the Vikings at the plate and the mound, winning their 15th game by a score of 7-2, and seemingly set themselves up to claim their first ever Windemuth Tournament title and tie the Turlock school record for consecutive wins in the same day.
But in the end, it wasn’t meant to be. A heavy downpour postponed Thursday’s championship game against Escalon High until April 20, putting another six days between the Bulldogs, their next game, and a swing at history.
“It would have been nice to keep playing,” Turlock’s head coach Mark de la Motte said. “The kids were a little disappointed but that’s something we couldn’t control. We’ll be ready when we play them.”
Turlock earned its shot at its second tournament title by defeating its third Modesto Metro Conference opponent in as many days. Nick Voumard stood on the hill for the Bulldogs and pitched his second complete game of the season. His finishing totals were 12 strike outs, one earned run, three walks, and only six hits.
“It was his day to throw and he pitched very well,” de la Motte said of Voumard. “He just pitched a great ball game; probably his best game of the year.”
As for the hitting game, Adam Groesbeck led Turlock’s offensive effort for the second week in a row as he went two for three, notched 4 RBIs, and earned one run. Groesbeck put Turlock’s first runs on the board with a line drive, two-run double in the first inning and followed it up with another two-run double in the second inning. Groesbeck also managed to cross home plate himself when he scored from third base on a pass ball error.
A second inning sacrifice fly ball from Luis Mendez that crossed Cody McGarry and a sixth inning Brett Cumberland single that crossed Mendez accounted for the remainder of Turlock’s runs.
“He’s been hitting the ball very well lately. He’s certainly one of our leaders,” de la Motte said of Groesbeck.
Now that the Windemuth Tournament championship has been pushed back, Turlock’s shot at tying the 16 game consecutive win streak will take place on April 10 against Atwater High at home.
“It was a nice break from league, we played some teams we don’t usually get the chance to play, and it gave us a chance to recharge our batteries for next week,” de la Motte said.
