Pitcher Cameron Martin of Turlock High wasn't going to be denied his fourth win of the year on Monday afternoon after the senior shook off Golden Valley's two unearned runs in the first and went on to toss a complete game, while his teammates turned up the heat at bat.
The Bulldogs tallied 11 hits for the game over seven innings and scored close to double digit runs as they went on to win their first of a two-game series against the Cougars on the road in a 9-2 final.
Martin came in to pitch on Monday after being sick last week, according to Turlock head coach Mark de la Motte.
“Honestly I try not to think, I just try to throw strikes and do my best as you saw I didn't have my best stuff but I battled through it,” said Martin, who started for the first time since April 10. “The bats have always been great with these guys, as you can see; they are coming out and swinging.”
Martin finished the game with two walks while allowing two hits.
Seven of the nine Bulldog batters managed to get at least one hit for the game while three had two or more.
Tate Soderstrom was 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Case Carr was 1-for-4 with three RBI. Chris Steeley was 2-for-4 and Case Pacheco went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
GV capitalized on miscues in the bottom of the first as they added two unearned runs.
Turlock quickly evened the score at 2-2 by the end of the second inning and added the go-ahead in the top of the third.
One run was added in the top of the fourth and in the sixth the game was put out of reach with a three-run rally after Soderstrom drilled a pitch up the middle to the left center field wall as he cleared the bases and the 'Dogs went up 7-2 with one inning remaining.
“We had a lot of energy coming off the long rest and it was nice getting back on the field and playing again,” said Soderstrom. “I incorporated a shift in my first couple at-bats and I laid down a bunt in the fifth inning that got us all going and in the sixth I put a good swing on it and got it to the gap.”
Carr followed the sixth inning rally with a rally hit of his own after the lefty crushed a two-run double to the right center field wall for the security runs.
Turlock is 9-3 over their last 11 games and have won three of the last four after defeating GV for their fourth straight league win.
Turlock will close out the series with GV at home at 4 p.m. today.
