Merced finishes sweep of Golden Valley in Nannini Game

The Merced High baseball team can’t afford any hiccups in the final three games of the season. The Bears know they have to sweep Atwater and they need help if they’re going to make the playoffs.

Merced did what it needed on Friday night, defeating Golden Valley 9-4 to give themselves a shot at the postseason in the 13th Annual Nannini Game at Merced High.

“We’ve got to win out,” said Bears coach Justin Parle, whose team improved to 14-10 overall and 6-6 in the Central California Conference. “But we have to take care of what we can control, and that’s every pitch. We can’t look forward or look in the past and ask what if. We have to play well.”

Prior to the game, all 15 seniors from both schools were given $300 scholarships by the Brian and Kevin Nannini Scholarship Foundation. The foundation was started by Dave Nannini in honor of his twin sons, Brian and Kevin, who drowned in a boating accident in 2004.

Since starting the foundation in 2004, the Nanninis have handed out over 150 scholarships worth a total of close to $42,000.

As always, the game drew a large crowd and created an electric atmosphere for the players.

“Definitely,” Merced pitcher Josh May said. “As coach says, this is as close as we get to playing a pro game. This isn’t just a baseball game. This is meaningful. We’re playing for No. 12 (Brian Nannini) and No. 7 (Kevin Nannini). It’s awesome.”

The Bears fed off that energy early as they exploded for five first-inning runs against Golden Valley starter Wyatt Pearson.

After May drew a leadoff walk, Merced connected on four consecutive hits with Brent Brewer, Tanner Pellissier and Trevor Phillips driving in runs.

It was the first time May has pitched with a lead in a while.

“It was good,” said May, who pitched five innings to pick up the win. “I haven’t had that in a while. We’ve been struggling when I pitch. I think we came out swinging.”

The Bears built the lead to 9-2 with four more runs in the fourth inning. Jacob Alarcon doubled in a run and Phillips delivered a two-run single in the rally. Merced’s first five hitters in the order (May, Alarcon, Brewer, Pellissier and Phillips) combined to go 9-for-17 in the game with nine runs scored and six RBIs.

Golden Valley (4-19, 3-9) made things interesting in the seventh inning as Ryan Morse singled in a run to cut the lead to 9-4 and the Cougars loaded the bases.

Jack Solis came close to a grand slam that would have cut the lead to one run, but the ball sailed over the fence just left of the foul pole in left field.

Pellissier was able to strike out the final two hitters of the game to close out the game.

Now the situation is set where Merced will try to take care of business against Atwater (0-12 CCC) in their final three games. Meanwhile, the Bears now become big Golden Valley fans as the Cougars finish their season with three games against Pitman.

Merced closed to within one game of the Pride (7-5 CCC) after Pitman lost to Turlock 9-7 on Friday afternoon.

“We’re huge (GV) fans,” May said. “We need them to win at least once against Pitman.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Merced finishes sweep of Golden Valley in Nannini Game."