CASA GRANDE BASEBALL: JV call-up sparks Gaucho win over Ukiah

When the week began, all-purpose sophomore baseball player Max Cerini was having a comfortable season on the Casa Grande junior varsity squad.

By mid-week, Cerini got the call that every young Gaucho waits for through the entire spring season. The second-year player was notified by varsity coach Paul Maytorena that he would be called up to the Gaucho squad for the game against Ukiah on the following Friday. He would take a spot on the roster vacated by hard-hitting Spencer Torkelson, who was suspended a game for being ejected from an earlier contest.

Cerini made the most of his opportunity.

Batting in the eighth slot in the North Bay League-leading Gaucho lineup after watching his mates yield their first run in 38 innings in the second frame, Cerini got his first at bat. Runners were on first and second, but there were two outs.

Cerini rammed a pitch from deep in the count through the infield, and away from the Wildcat left fielder. One run scored on the RBI, and second runner Eric Parnow scooted across the plate when the ball was bobbled. The Cerini base hit effectively accounted for two runs and a Gaucho lead in what was eventually a 3-1 win.

Gaucho pitcher Chris Joaquim, who surrendered the first run given up by Casa in the equivalent of five complete games, got back in the saddle, and he threw well enough to earn his sixth victory of the season. The sophomore right-hander scattered seven hits and struck out four to put his team in position to win after a hit by the Wildcats’ Joey Brazil knocked in the run.

Things might have really turned south had it not been for the heads up play of Casa catcher Casey Longaker.

Longaker began picking off Ukiah runners like shooting fish when he rifled a throw to Blake Berry at third to nail the lead runner. A couple pitches later, Longaker unned down Trenton Burford at second when the Ukiah runner tried to get into scoring position. The play wasn’t close.

Casa Grande got a little breathing room when the Gauchos got an unearned run against Wildcat starter Devin Kirby. An error and sacrifice bunt set the stage for an RBI single by Nick Bostow to make the score 3-1.

Maytorena chose lefty Justin Bruihl to close out the game, and the hard-throwing senior struck out four of the six hitters he faced to seal the verdict. Bruihl had outstanding stuff low in the zone in the Gaucho bullpen, and he took it to the mound in the final frames to get credit for the save.

It was only the third appearance of the season for Bruihl, who has yet to give up a run.

The frustrated Wildcats continued to make mistakes on the base paths when Brazil was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single in the seventh inning. The relay, started by Cerini in left field, stranded the tying run in the on-deck circle.

Ukiah is presently the fourth-place team in the NBL, and the Wildcats rolled into town with a three-game winning streak. They slipped to 6-4 in the NBL and 12-8 overall.

Bostow led the five-hit attack by the Gauchos with two hits and an RBI. The senior outfielder was hitting .458 coming into the game.

The Gauchos continued their late-season heroics with win No. 9 in succession. For the season, Casa is now 15-5.