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Badgers end season with extra inning win over Union

Brian Wilkinson

(Updated: Thursday, May 19, 2011, 9:24 AM)

The Yosemite High School varsity baseball team (11-15, 6-4) finished its rollercoaster season on a high note last Friday at home with an extra inning 6-5 win over Washington Union (9-16, 3-7).

The win redeemed the Badgers who were beaten 8-7 by the Panthers on April 27 in extra innings. The Badgers finished the season in third place in the North Sequoia League.

The unlikely hero Friday was junior second baseman Tyler Clayton who came into the game with just 12 hits and a .170 batting average this season. He saved his biggest hit of the year for the bottom of the eighth inning. With one out and the bases loaded, the lefty smacked a one-out, bases-loaded line drive to right field to drive in Justin McMillen with the winning run.

The Badgers' dugout quickly emptied for the celebratory dog pile on Clayton.

"I haven't been hitting real well and didn't think I would get up to bat again," Clayton said after the game. "Then I get up with the bases loaded and I felt I could win it. As soon as I hit the ball, I knew it was a base it. It felt great to get the winning hit."

The Panthers got off to a 3-0 lead through 31/2 innings against Badger pitcher Joe Doering, but the Badgers came back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth to go ahead 4-3. Doering gave up seven hits in five innings and had three strikeouts.

The Panthers scored single runs in the fifth off Doering, and sixth inning, off reliever Brad Rolff, to regain a 5-4 advantage. The Badgers tied the game 5-5 with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Union's relief pitcher John Kourafas led off the inning with a triple, putting the go ahead run at third base with no outs.

Rolff struck out the next batter and got the next batter to pop-up to Doering at shortstop for the second out. Rolff then struck out the next batter to end the inning, stranding the go ahead run at third base.

After the Badgers could not score in the bottom of the seventh, Rolff put the breaks on Union in the top of eighth, setting up the Badger dramatics in the bottom of the inning.

Catcher Harley Glines led off the inning with a solid double down the right filed line. The next batter, McMillen walked and then Steve Bohna hit into a fielder's choice, forcing Glines out at third and leaving runners at first and second.

Riley then hit a slow ground ball to third and the throw by Union's third baseman was late at first. The Badgers now had the bases loaded with one out as Clayton walked to the plate and hit a solid line drive over the second baseman's head to win the game.

Glines went 3 for 4, including a double and drove in two runs. Luke Riley and Bohna went 2 for 3 and each had an RBI. Rolff, who lead the team this season with 35 hits, went 2 for 4. The Badgers fourth run of the game came off a Panther wild pitch, allowing Glines to cross home plate.

Rolff got the win for the Badgers. He gave up three hits in three innings and had three strikeouts. The loss went to Union's Kourafas.

"We played hard and fought hard today," said coach John McMillen. "This team had a lot of talent and at the start of the season I thought we would have a great chance at the league championship but we let games get away from us during the season."

The team will not advance to the playoffs due to school policy that the team's overall win/loss record must be at .500 to advance. The team ended the season with a .423 win/loss percentage.

On May 6 the Badgers trounced host Chowchilla 12-5. Rolff went 3 for 4 including a double and had 3 RBIs and Glines went 2 for 3. Tyler Grocholski had two hits including a triple and drove in two runs.

Wining pitcher was Cory Skerce. Although he gave up three doubles, three walks and three wild pitches, he also got four strikeouts and went the distance for the win.

Final league standings

Kerman (22-4, 9-1) won the North Sequoia Championship after beating Sierra Friday 12-0. Kerman is listed by Max Preps as the No. 1 Division IV team in the Central Section and is ranked No. 10 in the Central Section for all divisions.

Liberty-Madera Ranchos (17-10, 8-2) finished the season in second place, followed by Yosemite in third place in league and a Max Preps No. 9 ranking in division III in the Central Section. Chowchilla (10-12, 3-7) tied for fourth place in league with Washington Union (9-16, 3-7) with Sierra (4-19, 1,9) at the bottom of the league.

Leading batting averages at the end of the season for Yosemite were held by Riley (.440 - No. 4 in league), Rolff (.407) and Glines (.362). Rolff lead the team in hits with 35 with Glines adding 25 and Doering and Riley getting 22 each.

Rolff and Glines had 19 (fifth in league) and 17 RBIs, respectively, for the season. Liberty's Sam Sanders was No. 1 with 24.

Rolff lead the league in home runs (2) and stolen bases (16). Essary was second with 14 swiped bases.

JV team finishes second in league

The Badger JV team finished tied for second place in the NSL with the identical win/loss record as Liberty-Madera Ranchos, 7-3.

The team beat league champion Washington Union Friday 4-2 with pitcher McKay Glines going the distance and recording the win. Like the varsity, it was a great way to end the season as Union beat the Badgers earlier in the season, 16-8.

On May 10, JV pitcher Dillon Moran threw a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts as the JV team beat Chowchilla 5-1.

"This team worked hard all season," said coach Tom Guavara. "All the players thawed out from those practice days in the rain and snow back in January and February and put everything we taught them together for a great season. I can't pick an MVP because everyone did a good job all season long."

The team awards banquet will be held at 5:30 p.m. May 24 at Sierra Meadows Golf Course.