Vista rebounds with 2-1 win over Placer
By: Matt Long of the Telegraph April 2nd 2016
Scott Seffens felt a lot better about his team Sunday than he did on Friday.
Coming off a 12-2 loss to Oak Ridge, the Vista baseball team was looking for a non-league win over Placer, but had some question marks heading into the game. The offense only mustered four hits against Oak Ridge and Seffens was hoping for more against Placer. Also, Landon Mitchell was on the mound and Seffens was hoping for a good start from the staff ace, who hasn’t been able to pitch much this season with a dislocated finger.
As it turned out, Seffens got a great performance from Mitchell and though the offense didn’t produce much, the Eagles scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning and defeated Placer 2-1 to improve to 7-2-1 on the season.
Mitchell pitched six innings and kept his team in the game. In the top of the seventh, Cole Stone singled and Michael Nelsen followed with another to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Patrick Gaffney’s sac bunt moved both runners up. Cody Sarabia followed with a sacrifice fly to score Stone to tie the game. Blake Martin, the team’s No. 9 hitter, put the team in front with a single to score Nelsen.
“Landon pitched well and that was big for us,” Seffens said. “He threw strikes and that’s been his biggest thing. We need him. With him and Sarabia back, that gives us some depth to our staff.”
Vista plays Del Oro at 4 p.m. Tuesday on the road before hosting Oakdale at Folsom Lake College at 1 p.m. Saturday.
As it turned out, Seffens got a great performance from Mitchell and though the offense didn’t produce much, the Eagles scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning and defeated Placer 2-1 to improve to 7-2-1 on the season.
Mitchell pitched six innings and kept his team in the game. In the top of the seventh, Cole Stone singled and Michael Nelsen followed with another to put the tying and go-ahead runs on base. Patrick Gaffney’s sac bunt moved both runners up. Cody Sarabia followed with a sacrifice fly to score Stone to tie the game. Blake Martin, the team’s No. 9 hitter, put the team in front with a single to score Nelsen.
“Landon pitched well and that was big for us,” Seffens said. “He threw strikes and that’s been his biggest thing. We need him. With him and Sarabia back, that gives us some depth to our staff.”
Vista plays Del Oro at 4 p.m. Tuesday on the road before hosting Oakdale at Folsom Lake College at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Vista del Lago began this week in a tie atop the Capital Athletic League with Rio Americano.
Both teams started the week with 5-0 records, and it appears the Eagles have an easier road to stay in first place. The Eagles finish their series with Casa Roble on Monday April 25th 2016 and then have a three-game series with Mira Loma, two teams currently sitting at the bottom of the standings with a combined 0-10 record. Rio Americano has a three-game series with Christian Brothers, who enters this week with a 2-3 record; all three losses coming at the hands of the Eagles.“Hopefully, Christian Brothers can beat Rio a couple times and if we can take of business with Mira Loma, things will be looking pretty good,” Seffens said.
After sweeping the Falcons, the Eagles took a pair of games against Casa Roble last week; winning 3-0 on April 19 and then earning a 10-2 win last Thursday. Patrick Gaffney and Landon Mitchell had strong outings on the mound, leading the team to victories. Gaffney allowed only three hits and struck out five in the opener. Mitchell, who has rounded into form of late, threw six innings on Thursday and also allowed three hits and struck out six against only one walk.
“Gaffney pitched really well and Landon had another good outing,” Seffens said. “Landon was our No. 1 last year so he’s in the two-hole this year and that makes us even tougher. When he throws strikes like he did last week, he’s tough to hit. Pitching is our key. We’ve got a couple guys who are hitting, but most of the lineup is around .200. We’ve just been doing it with timely hits and taking advantage of opportunities the other teams give us.”
In the first game against Casa Roble, Cole Stone had two hits and two RBIs, while Mitchell also had two hits. In Thursday’s win. Michael Nelsen hit a home run and doubled and knocked in two runs. Nick McCormick had three hits and scored four runs. Josh Winkler, Mitchell and Blake Martin all had two hits. Winkler added two RBIs, while Mitchell drove in one. All three scored a run as well.
By: Matt Long of the Telegraph Friday May 6th 2016
One win against El Camino next week will lock up the Capital Athletic League baseball title for Vista del Lago.
With a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Rio Americano Friday, the Eagles won the series, taking two-of-three, and improved to 11-1 in league play and 19-3-1 overall.
Josh Winkler pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits, walking four and striking out seven. Winkler also started the game-winning rally in the top of the seventh inning, leading off with a single.
“We usually don’t start scoring until the fourth inning,” Winkler said of his team’s offensive characteristics. “We kept lining out. When we came up in the seventh with our three, four and five guys, I knew we were going to do it.”
Rio’s Kody Gardner had limited Vista to four hits and struck out three through the first six innings, but most importantly kept them off the scoreboard. The Raiders scored a run off Winkler in the first inning when Gardner led off with a single and eventually scored on Gideon Branch’s base hit.
In the seventh, Winkler led off with a single to left field.
“He’s probably the best pitcher we’ve seen this year, in my opinion,” Winkler said of Gardner, who had retired him twice earlier in the game. “He has a two-seem that runs in on your hands. I got an inside fastball and was able to take it to left.”
Landon Mitchell followed with another single before Cole Stone flied out to center. Michael Nelsen singled to left field to score Winkler and tie the game at one. With runners on first and third, Patrick Gaffney grounded out to second to score Mitchell and give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. Cody Sarabia then had Vista’s fourth single to left field in the inning. When the ball got by Rio’s left fielder, Vista’s final run came in to score to make it 3-1.
Winkler got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning before Gardner homered to right field to cut the lead to one. Winkler then struck out Blake Spencer looking to end the game.
After throwing 50 or so pitches in Tuesday’s 8-7 loss to the Raiders, Winkler came back and threw a complete game.
“My arm’s dead,” Winkler said. “I felt like I had command of my fastball and could throw it where I wanted it, and my slider was working so I could show them some spin and then make my fastball look faster.”
Vista Coach Scott Seffens was proud of Winkler’s effort and his team’s comeback.
“Gardner is a good dude, but Josh gave us as good a start as we’ve had this year,” Seffens said. “Offensively, I was wondering if it was going to happen or not. We got a couple of hits here and there, but couldn’t put anything together. We do tend to score runs later in games. Our guys never give up and I’m proud of them.”
Josh Winkler pitched a complete game, allowing only three hits, walking four and striking out seven. Winkler also started the game-winning rally in the top of the seventh inning, leading off with a single.
“We usually don’t start scoring until the fourth inning,” Winkler said of his team’s offensive characteristics. “We kept lining out. When we came up in the seventh with our three, four and five guys, I knew we were going to do it.”
Rio’s Kody Gardner had limited Vista to four hits and struck out three through the first six innings, but most importantly kept them off the scoreboard. The Raiders scored a run off Winkler in the first inning when Gardner led off with a single and eventually scored on Gideon Branch’s base hit.
In the seventh, Winkler led off with a single to left field.
“He’s probably the best pitcher we’ve seen this year, in my opinion,” Winkler said of Gardner, who had retired him twice earlier in the game. “He has a two-seem that runs in on your hands. I got an inside fastball and was able to take it to left.”
Landon Mitchell followed with another single before Cole Stone flied out to center. Michael Nelsen singled to left field to score Winkler and tie the game at one. With runners on first and third, Patrick Gaffney grounded out to second to score Mitchell and give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. Cody Sarabia then had Vista’s fourth single to left field in the inning. When the ball got by Rio’s left fielder, Vista’s final run came in to score to make it 3-1.
Winkler got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning before Gardner homered to right field to cut the lead to one. Winkler then struck out Blake Spencer looking to end the game.
After throwing 50 or so pitches in Tuesday’s 8-7 loss to the Raiders, Winkler came back and threw a complete game.
“My arm’s dead,” Winkler said. “I felt like I had command of my fastball and could throw it where I wanted it, and my slider was working so I could show them some spin and then make my fastball look faster.”
Vista Coach Scott Seffens was proud of Winkler’s effort and his team’s comeback.
“Gardner is a good dude, but Josh gave us as good a start as we’ve had this year,” Seffens said. “Offensively, I was wondering if it was going to happen or not. We got a couple of hits here and there, but couldn’t put anything together. We do tend to score runs later in games. Our guys never give up and I’m proud of them.”
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