The Varsity Baseball team kept rolling on Tuesday with a key 4-1 league victory against the Clayton Valley Ugly Eagles on the road. Solid pitching and timely hitting pushed the Dons league record to 5-2 and overall tally to 19-2 as they head towards the final regular season games of the year.
The boys started the scoring in the 1st inning after centerfielder Keegan Goddard singled and advanced to 2nd base on a fielder’s choice. Third baseman Gavin Bender came up with 2 outs and drilled a ball to left field for a triple to give Acalanes a 1-0 lead.
Goddard also scored the Don’s second run after he reached on an error in the top of the 3rd inning. It put him on 2nd base with one out. Keegan stole 3rd before catcher Benji O’Rourke knocked him in with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to increase the Acalanes lead to 2-0.
The Ugly Eagles managed to scratch out a run in the bottom of the frame to tighten the score at 2-1, before the Zirkel-Gonzales show kicked in. Mason walked to lead off the 5th before David boomed a double over the left fielders head to give the Dons a 3-1 lead. They liked it so much that they did it again in the 7th inning. Zirkel led off and legged out an infield single to start the frame. Gonzales duplicated his previous at bat with another towering shot over the left fielder’s head to plate Zirkel again and give the boys in blue a 4-1 lead that they would not relinquish.
Gonzo crushed 2 RBI doubles to score Mason Zirkel in both the 5th and 7th innings.
Isaac Copen started on the mound for the boys and went 3.2 innings, giving up 2 hits, a run and 4 walks, while striking out 4 Eagles. It was the longest and best outing of the season for Copen. He looked strong and confident.
Branson Smith relieved Copen and made his 11th appearance of the 2024 campaign. He threw 19 pitches in a 1.1 inning outing, giving up one hit and no runs. Branson inherited 2 runners in the 4th inning and pitched out of trouble to preserve the lead.
Mason Zirkel took the hill for the Dons in the 6th inning and he shut the door on Clayton Valley. Mason displayed some electric stuff as he mowed down Eagle hitters in the 6th and 7th frames. He pitched 2 innings and gave up a hit, no runs and no walks while recording 2 strikeouts in his 4th appearance of the season. Mason also had a hit and a walk while scoring 2 critical runs in the contest.
Right fielder David Gonzales led the offense with 2 doubles and 2 RBIs. Gavin Bender also had 2 hits and an RBI and Keegan Goddard had a hit, a walk, 2 runs scored and 2 stolen bases.
The boys take on the Ugly Eagles again today at Ken Souza Field at 4pm. The weather looks great. Let’s pack the house! The Dons have maintained their #3 ranking in Northern California, according to West Coat Preps. Let’s get win #20 today. Here we go Dons!
