Sequoias Baseball Takes Two in Strong Week
VISALIA, Calif. – The College of the Sequoias baseball team (5-2) continued its strong start to the season with back-to-back road wins, defeating Bakersfield and Modesto in a pair of well-rounded performances.
The Giants (5-2) showcased both their ability to manufacture runs and their depth on the mound, taking down Bakersfield 8-6 in a back-and-forth contest before defeating Modesto 5-1 behind a great pitching display.
Sequoias 8, Bakersfield 6 (Feb. 4)
The Giants opened its week with a hard-fought 8-6 victory over Bakersfield, using a big seventh inning to pull away and hold off a late rally from the home team.
The Giants struck first in the third when Walker Selley (Bermuda) reached on an error, allowing Zach Milhous (Monache HS) and Manny Veleta (Highland HS) to score. Ned Ceklic (Alberta) added an RBI double in the fifth, followed by a Diego Sanchez (Bakersfield Christian HS) fielder's choice that extended the lead to 4-1.
After Bakersfield cut the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth, COS responded in the sixth when Veleta singled home Alex Lopez (Golden West HS) to make it 5-3.
A three-run seventh provided critical insurance runs as Sanchez, Lopez, and Noe Salazar (Kerman HS) each drove in runs, pushing the lead to 8-3. Bakersfield fought back in the bottom of the frame, with Isaac Torres launching a three-run homer, but Hudson Groh (Liberty HS) shut the door in the ninth to earn the save.
Aaron Prieto (Fowler HS) picked up the win, tossing 2.1 innings of relief, allowing no earned runs.
"We did a great job of taking advantage of opportunities," Head Coach Jody Allen said. "We kept pressure on their defense and got some timely hits when we needed them."
Sequoias 5, Modesto 1 (Feb. 8)
College of the Sequoias capped off the week with an outstanding pitching performance, limiting Modesto to just two hits in a 5-1 win.
The Giants struck in the third inning when Milhous and Veleta delivered RBI singles, helping Sequoias jump ahead 3-0. Sanchez added another RBI knock to stretch the lead.
Pitching took over from there as Tyson Kilbreath (Alberta) was lights-out, striking out 11 over five shutout innings while allowing just two hits. Romeo Lopez (Hanford HS) and Groh combined for four no-hit innings out of the bullpen to secure the win.
Alex Lopez put the game out of reach in the eighth with a two-RBI single, scoring Veleta and Milhous.
"Our pitchers brought it today," Allen said. "Kilbreath set the tone, and our guys in relief were just as sharp. We also strung together some hits to score some runs."
Up Next
The Giants hit the road to face Allan Hancock on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 2:00 PM, before returning home for a three-game series against Golden West. Due to inclement weather, Saturday, February 15 will be a doubleheader, with the first game at 10:30 AM, and the second game scheduled to begin approximately 1:30 PM vs. Golden West. The third game, and the series finale, is scheduled to be played on Sunday, Feb. 16, with first pitch slated for 12:00 PM. Sequoias will look to build on its strong start as it continues non-conference play.
