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TC advances to semifinals
TC baseball 1 5-19
Micah Blomenkamp of Turlock Christian tossed two shutout innings in Wednesday’s 11-1 victory over Leroy Greene in the first round of the Division-VII Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. - photo by EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

Turlock Christian’s baseball team is bound for the semifinals after a first round 11-1 walloping of No. 8 Leroy Greene Academy from Stanislaus’ Warrior Baseball Field on Wednesday in the Division-VII Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

“We were very fortunate to get the No. 1 seed and if you know baseball then you know that any team can beat any team on any given day so we didn’t want to look past them,” said TC head coach Bill York. “I like how they came out and played hard.”

It took a few minutes for the Eagles to get their game going, as they were on the field for the first time in two weeks, but after they started hitting it didn’t stop.

TC baseball 2 5-19-18
Turlock Christian’s Eli Roos shakes hands with teammate Micah Blomenkamp during Wednesday’s 11-1 win over Leroy Greene in the first round of the Division-VII Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. - photo by EDDIE RUIZ/The Journal

 “I was a little concerned because we hadn’t played in two full weeks,” said York. “Baseball is a routine thing that you try and do every day. I was not anxious but I wanted to see how they would come out.”

Once Leroy Greene notched a run in the top of the first, TC matched them and then some, adding four in the bottom of the first alone.

TC added three more runs in the bottom of the second after Markie Delgadillo had an RBI double. Delgadillo scored after a throwing error by Leroy Greene then Jakob Skinner followed, scoring on an error after reaching base on a single.

Three more runs were added in the bottom of the third for TC when Skinner drilled the second pitch of his at-bat to deep right center to complete the three-run triple and extended the lead to 10-1.

Will York of TC scored the 11th and final run when Ethan Fisher stepped up to the plate and smacked and RBI single blooper to center field.

The pitching was lights out.

Liam Jones and Micah Blomenkamp combined to toss a five-inning no-hitter.

Jones started the game and went three innings and allowed an unearned run, walked four and struck out five.

Blomenkamp came it to relief in the fourth and was lights out after he pitched two shutout innings, allowing no hits, runs, walks and struck out three.

“We gave them a couple walks and gifted the run but a no hitter for my guys that is cool,” said York. “That has been our M.O. We have Howie Skinner from the right side and Liam Jones from the left and Mikah, I call him the sidewinder and it just mixes it up and when they are comfortable we change the view, and that has been our motive all year.”

Everyone who batted for TC scored at least one run.

Jakob Skinner was 2-for-2 with a run scored and three RBI. Jones was 2-for-3 from the plate and scored a run and added a pair of RBI. Will York and Blomenkamp were 1-for-3 and Blomenkamp had two RBI. Ethan Fisher and Markie Delgadillo both went 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Nathaniel Balantine was 2-for-2 with an RBI and scored a run for TC.

“I am tickled pink with how they came out and swung the bats and I think they will be able to continue that on Saturday,” said York.

No. 1 Turlock Christian will next take on No. 4 Valley Christian from Stagg High at noon Saturday.