The first year for Turlock Christian head coach Bill York is going better than expected after his varsity baseball squad swept Brookside Christian in their two-game league series this week.
They started with an improbable win on Tuesday that saw a combined 33 runs scored, followed by an 8-2 win for the TC Eagles on Thursday from home in another Central California Athletic Alliance battle.
“The kids have been playing good fundamental baseball,” said York. “We have some good baseball players with high IQs in terms of baseball, and they play hard, they grind… I just don’t know what’s going with our home games, we are not putting up the runs we have at other places.”
In fact, in three home games played at Pedretti Park, TC has scored 12 runs while allowing four.
In five road games, however, TC has scored 10 or more runs, combining for 82 total runs.
The Eagles also have an abundance of youth on the roster. Only two seniors are regular starters, catcher Jakob Skinner and outfielder Eli Roos. Their sophomores and juniors have really come along.
Sophomores Markie Delgadillo, Ryan Leonesio and Howie Skinner each finished Thursday’s game with an RBI apiece.
Seven of the nine starters for TC managed to get at least one hit for the game.
The Eagles are now 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the CCAA, a feat they haven’t accomplished in over a decade.
They went 11-1 in 2006 but lost their fourth game of that year.
Their hot streak continued at home against BC after they put up four runs in the first inning alone.
They went on to add one in the third and three in the sixth to secure eight runs.
“Their kids did well, they threw well and I told the kids to make adjustments and see what we can do, tip our hat to them,” said York. “We took advantage of some of the mistakes and had some key hitting and timely defense and good pitching, the big three.”
Lefty Liam Jones started the game and tossed the first two innings, allowing no runs on one hit, walked one and struck out three before being relieved by Nathaniel Balantine.
Balantine pitched two innings and allowed one unearned run on two walks and two hits.
Micah Blomenkamp tossed another two-shutout innings then Delgadillo pitched in the seventh to close it out.
TC will next compete at the Hilmar Tournament next week starting with a first round match against Gustine at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
“The boys are excited to go out and play,” York added. “… any competition we can get it will help and I am looking forward to it all.”
