Gauchos drop NBL games to Montgomery, Ukiah

Casa Grande wins non-league game, but loses two NBL contests.|

Casa Grande High School’s baseball Gauchos managed to win just one of three games last week, and, unfortunately, the win came in the game that mattered least.

Casa opened the week with a tough 1-0 loss to Montgomery in a North Bay League game.

Chris Joaquim pitched one of his best games of the season, working six innings and allowing just one run. He gave up four hits and struck out three.

Montgomery’s Colin Prince and Nick Smith combined to hold the Gauchos to just four hits.

The game’s only run came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Prince bunted his way on base and Smith drove him in with a double.

AJ Miller had two hits for the Gauchos, while Blake Berry and John Green each collected one.

Problems continue

Casa Grande’s problems continued at Ukiah, where, on Friday, the Gauchos suffered another NBL loss, falling to the Wildcats, 8-4.

Casa Grande managed four runs, but Ukiah rapped 10 hits, fueling two-run rallies in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Hance Smith had two hits, including a double for the Gauchos. Green blasted a home run, while Berry, Brian Kolodin and Avery Ayala also had Casa hits.

Casa Grande got back on track with a 3-2 win at Napa. Unfortunately, the victory was over a non-league opponent.

Napa scored two runs in the opening inning, then was kept in check by a cadre of Gaucho pitchers.

Parker Ruoff gave up Napa’s runs in three innings of mound duty. He was touched for two hits, walked one and struck out five. Jack Hill was perfect for 2? innings with five strikeouts. Spencer Torkelson earned the save with a perfect inning and Quinton Gago pitched two outs with a strikeout.

Casa scored a run in the fourth and won with a two-run sixth-inning rally.

Casa Grande had nine hits to just the two for Napa.

Kolodin continued his good bat swinging for Casa with three hits, with Joaquim and Stephen Proctor both doubling.

Casa is now 13-5 overall and 5-4 in NBL play.

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