Atwater ace fans 16 in win over Merced. Falcons look to end 35-year CCC title drought
Atwater High School ace Bo Valladao struck out a career-high 16 hitters to lead the Falcons to a 5-1 win over Merced on Friday night at Memorial Ballpark.
The victory sets the stage for a showdown next week between Atwater and El Capitan with both teams tied atop the standings at 8-2 with just two games left. The two teams will square off on Wednesday and Friday with the Central California Conference championship on the line.
Atwater (18-6) has an opportunity to end a 35-year old title drought if the Falcons can win their first championship since 1987.
“It’s very exciting,” Valladao said. “We’ve been working hard for the last four years and now we have a shot at a championship. It’s an opportunity to compete for a title and win our first championship in 35 years.”
The Falcons did their part this week to set up the championship series by defeating Merced 21-15 on Wednesday and then 5-1 on Friday.
Valladao overpowered the younger Bears (7-18 overall, 4-8 CCC) by pounding the strike zone with his fastball.
The senior right-hander struck out nine of the first 11 batters he faced and he struck out the side in four different innings.
“I felt good,” said Valladao, who has struck out 93 hitters in 54 innings pitched this season. “I felt good as an night. My command was there. The fastball was my pitch tonight and my slider, of course. I just went after guys.”
Valladao improved to 8-1 with a 1.56 ERA on the season.
Merced sophomore Jason Zapata also pitched well, going the distance and surrendering only three earned runs on six hits and four walks.
Cole Hazel drove in Henry Warden in the first inning to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead. Valladao added to the lead by driving in Xavier Cardenas with a ground ball in the third inning to give Atwater a 2-0 lead.
Merced’s lone run came in the fourth inning when Austin Lejarde doubled in Riley Dickey to cut the lead to 2-1.
Two Merced errors helped Atwater plate a run in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 3-1. The Falcons then stretched the lead to 5-1 when Cardenas doubled in two runs in the sixth inning.
Now the stage is set for two games against El Capitan with the title on the line.
“We’re excited to play El Capitan,” said Atwater coach Jarrod Pimentel. “It comes down the last week and that’s an added bonus. We control our own destiny and they do too. It should be some good baseball.”
Valladao says the Falcons players are well aware the program hasn’t won a championship in 35 years.
“I think everyone has seen the banner in the gym that says 1987,” Valladao said. “This is our chance to leave our legacy and put our year up on that banner in the gym.”
El Capitan 5, Patterson 2 — The Gauchos (18-8) scored three runs in the eighth inning to pick up the extra-inning win.
Mitchell Hunter pitched three scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.
Gauchos senior Tyler Minor hit a double to drive in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Minor finished with two hits.
Buhach Colony 6, Golden Valley 1 — The Thunder kept their CCC championship hopes alive by finishing off a two-game sweep of the Cougars.
Cooper Lanz led the way for BC, pitching a complete game and giving up just one hit in seven innings. Lanz struck out seven hitters.
Lanz also led the offense with three hits and two runs scored.
Buhach Colony (19-7, 7-3 CCC) can earn a share of the CCC championship by sweeping two games against Patterson next week and El Capitan and Atwater splitting their two games.
This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 10:24 AM.
