California Pintos baseball returned home Friday and hosted their annual Turf War Tournament with Versailles. California took third place with a win over Warsaw, a loss to North Callaway and a forfeit win over Hallsville.
In their tournament opener against the Warsaw Wildcats, the Pintos fell behind 2-0 in the first inning. The score of the game remained 2-0 until the top of the third inning. California had runners on first and second base when designated hitter Colin Kruger hit a ground ball to second base that deflected off of the base and turned into a double play. Two batters later, California had runners on the corners when first baseman Hunter Berendzen hit California's first home run of the season on a three-run home run to left field to give California a 3-2 lead.
The Pintos added three more runs in the fourth inning to go ahead 6-2.
In the fifth inning, Berendzen opened by reaching first base on an error. Two batters later, second baseman Tristan Nokes hit a triple down the left field line to score Berendzen from first base. Nokes scored California's eighth run on a sacrifice fly from pitcher Jace Schreck. California scored another four runs with two outs and extended their lead to 12-2.
Schreck struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth, giving California a 12-2 win in five innings and a berth in the tournament semifinals.
Jace Schreck got the win for California and pitched five innings. Schreck allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts.
Designated hitter Colin Kruger hit 2-4 with a run scored two RBIs.
First baseman Hunter Berendzen hit 1-4 and scored two runs with three RBIs on a three-run home run in the third inning.
Catcher Brayden Hallford hit 1-3 and scored three runs with two RBIs.
The Pintos returned Saturday for their semifinal game against the North Callaway Thunderbirds.
The semifinal game went back and forth through four innings with the score tied 5-5. In the bottom of the fifth, North Callaway was batting and California got the first two outs. However, North Callaway surprised the Pintos by scoring seven straight runs to pull away to a 12-5. North Callaway maintained their lead throughout the rest of the game and defeated California 15-9.
First baseman Hunter Berendzen hit 2-4 against North Callaway with two runs scored a three RBIs, including a solo home run in the seventh inning.
Starting pitcher and third baseman Will Edwards pitched 4.1 innings for the Pintos and allowed six runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Edwards batted 3-4 and scored a run.
Left fielder Martin Kilmer hit 2-4 and scored two runs with one RBI.
Shortstop and second baseman Jace Schreck hit batted 2-4 with two runs scored.
California was then scheduled to play Hallsville for third place, but Hallsville forfeited the game after it was discovered that were wearing metal cleats on a turf field, which is prohibited.
California is now 8-7 on the season and will play Centralia and Westran at 10 a.m. Saturday in Centralia.
Jace Schreck allowed two runs on three hits with five strikeouts in California's win over Warsaw in the California/Versailles Turf War Tournament. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Jace Schreck hits a sacrifice fly to score a run against the Warsaw Wildcats. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)
Tristan Nokes reaches third base against Warsaw on an RBI triple in the fifth inning. (Democrat photo/Evan Holmes)