Baseball Blowout
Rio completed a three game sweep on Saturday, March 22 over the El Camino Eagles. The Raiders dominated the first game of the series, scoring 18 runs and a six run seventh inning. Rio walked off in game two, and were triumphant five to four.
With junior ace pitcher Daylin Munoz on the hill for game three at El Camino, the Raiders were set for a big day.
The bottom of the first cruised by, with Munoz mixing his pitches beautifully. The following innings blew by, as he painted the corners and received some help from the defense behind him.
After picking up a run in the top of the first, the Raiders had a big second inning. They got to senior pitcher Blake Moser early, with sophomore Will Linberg connecting on a base hit off the first baseman’s glove and into shallow right field.
Senior Dylan Elder followed that with a deep fly ball to right, which was misplayed by the right fielder. With two runners in scoring position, senior Nick Keller lined a ball up the middle to score one. Senior Jake Paxton finished the inning with another single, this time scoring two runners.
Meanwhile, the Raiders continued to get brilliance out of Munoz on the mound. He finished the game with a no-hitter, issuing only two walks and struck out three.
Eagle senior pitcher Cy Logan came in for the third and shut down the hot Raider lineup. The fourth did not bode well for him, as he gave up two more runs.
Senior Nolan Berry lead off with a slap shot into right for a base hit. Junior Savion Ponce followed that with a ground ball to second which should have been a double play. However, the second baseman and shortstop had a miscommunication and botched the play near the bag, allowing both runners to be safe.
Senior Brandon Shaldone followed that with a walk to load the bases, and junior Mateo Lake got hit by a pitch to drive a runner in. Next to the plate, Will Harris, fell behind in the count 1-2, and Logan hit him as well.
Controversy struck in the top of the fifth when Elder took two pitches behind the back, and Raider manager Ron Hall ran out to confront the home plate umpire. After a short argument, he headed back to the dugout with warnings issued to the Eagles. Logan had hit four batters, including three pitches flying behind those batters.
He followed this by walking the next two hitters, and was pulled after that. After Ponce drew a third base on balls, Paxton drove in the runner from third on a single. The hot lineup continued their streak when Shaldone walked.
The biggest hit of the game came on a 2-0 pitch to the next batter, junior Mateo Lake. He clobbered the pitch to deep right on a low line drive and it snuck over the fence for a grand slam. Two hitters later, senior Alec Sumner launched to left, and there was no doubt about it.
In the bottom half, Munoz completed his no no and the ten-run rule came into effect. Rio got the win over El Camino, 14-0.