For recaps of games prior to April 26, please visit Freshman Game Recaps 2 (click on link) 

May 9, 2008

    Both the freshman and junior varsity baseball teams from Claremont High recorded victories over Los Osos this week and clinched first place in the Baseline League in their respective divisions.

    After the junior varsity claimed its title on Wednesday, the freshman routed the Grizzlies, 13-0, at the Wolf Den Friday to take top honors in the freshman division. The win gave the team a 10-5 record in the Baseline League, which was the same record posted by Upland. But the Wolfpack beat the Highlanders in two of their three meetings to claim the title. Claremont finished with a 15-8 overall record.

    The Pack played perhaps its best all-around game of the year, combining a strong hitting attack with another brilliant pitching performance and a near-flawless defensive effort. Claremont scored in all five of the innings it came to bat, and the game was called after five and a half innings.

    Daniel Kessler pitched six shutout innings for the win, giving up just four hits without a walk while striking our four. He faced 20 batters in six innings, just two over the minimum. He was backed by solid defense, including double plays started by Dustin Keller at second and Kyle Jackson at shortstop, as well as several sparkling plays at third by Daniel Thies.

    Offensively, Grant Melker returned to the freshman lineup and had three hits and a walk, scoring three runs and driving in a pair. He raised his team-leading batting average to .525.

    Sam Robinson had two hits, including a double, and four RBI, while also scoring twice. T.C. Laszlo had two singles, and Victor Munoz had a a single and two RBI to finish as the team leader with 34 runs batted in. Keller scored three times and Kessler twice. Jackson added to the team's nine-hit attack with a single. 

 claremont_vs._los_osos_box_5-9-08 10/05/2008,16:37 17.30 Kb

 claremont_vs._los_osos_scorecard_5-9-08 10/05/2008,16:38 23.00 Kb

 claremont_stats_5-9-08 10/05/2008,16:39 22.12 Kb

May 5, 2008

    Battling gusty winds and treacherous field conditions, Claremont's freshman squad lost a wild game at Los Osos Monday, 15-11.

    Down 7-1 after the first inning, the Pack tied the game in the second and eventually took an 11-8 lead, only to give up six runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to fall to the Grizzlies. Combined with Upland's loss to Etiwanda, the loss left Claremont in a three-way tie for first place in the Baseline League with Upland and Los Osos.

    The Pack took a 1-0 lead in the first as Sam Robinson singled and, with two out, Daniel Kessler tripled him home. The Grizzlies responded with seven runs in the bottom of the inning, but the big lead didn't last long, as Claremont answered with six runs in the top of the second.  Tyler Mitchell and Ben Perry singled, with Mitchell moving to third when the right-fielder bobbled the ball, and then scoring on Dan Thies' groundout. Dustin Keller was aboard on an error, which allowed Perry to come home. Robinson and Victor Munoz singled, but Keller was thrown out at the plate. Kessler was hit by a pitch, and all the runners moved up on a wild pitch, with Robinson scoring. Landon Giammalva followed with a booming triple to score Munoz and Kessler, and Giammalva came home on T.C. Laszlo's base hit. 

    The Wolfpack took a 10-8 lead in the third when Perry singled with one out, and Thies walked. Keller flew out for the second out of the inning, but Robinson doubled home Perry, and Munoz knocked in Thies and Robinson with a single to center. Claremont added another run in the fourth, as Laszlo doubled and then came all the way around to score when the left-fielder's throw sailed past the second baseman and into foul territory in right field.

    That was all the scoring for Claremont, which saw Los Osos add seven unanswered runs before the game was called because of time.

    Perry and Robinson both had three hits, while Munoz, Kessler and Laszlo each had two. Kessler and Giammalva had triples, while Robinson and Laszlo had doubles. Munoz and Giammalva each had a pair of RBI, while Robinson scored three runs. 

 claremont_vs._los_osos_box_5-5-08_b 06/05/2008,00:52 17.48 Kb

 claremont_vs._los_osos_scorecard_5-5-08 06/05/2008,00:53 23.61 Kb

May 1, 2008

Etiwanda 11, Claremont 10 (CHS record: 14-7, 9-4)
 

    Claremont's freshmen rallied from an 11-2 deficit Thursday at Cahuilla Park, only to fall a run short in an 11-10 loss to Etiwanda. The loss ended the freshman team's seven-game winning streak.

    A disastrous fourth inning led to the freshman team's downfall, as they committed seven errors and gave up 10 runs, allowing Etiwanda to take an 11-2 lead. But the Pack chipped away at the Eagle lead, scoring three in the bottom of the fifth on a three-run line drive home run by Sam Robinson that flew over the center fielder's head, scoring Tyler Mitchell and Dustin Keller, who had both singled.

    The Wolfpack added five more in the sixth to rally to within a run, 11-10. With one out, pinch-hitter Nick Reynoso was hit by a pitch. Mitchell singled to left and Keller walked to load the bases. Robinson's single to center drove in Reynoso, and Victor Munoz followed with a two-run single to center, driving in Mitchell and Keller. Daniel Kessler singled to score Robinson. Munoz was erased at third on Landon Giammalva's grounder, but the third baseman's throw to first got away, allowing Kessler to move to third and Giammalva to second. Sensing the pitcher's long wind-up, Kessler took off from third and easily stole home and bring the Pack to within a run. However, the rally ended there.

    Etiwanda threatened in the top of the seventh, loading the bases before Robinson tracked down the final out of the inning with a fine running catch in deep left-center.

    Claremont had one last chance, and walks to Mitchell, Keller and Robinson loaded the bases with one out. Chris Oropesa was called upon to pitch in relief, and Munoz hammered a line drive to third that glanced off the glove of third baseman Justin Davis. But Davis alertly recovered the ball and stepped on third for the second out of the inning before throwing home to get pinch runner Gregg Merrick at the plate and end the game.

    The loss was the first for the Claremont freshmen since April 1, when they fell to Etiwanda.  

    The box score and scorecard from the freshman game can be downloaded below. 

 claremont_vs._etiwanda_box_5-1-08 02/05/2008,01:06 17.54 Kb

 claremont_vs._etiwanda_scorecard_5-1-08 02/05/2008,01:07 24.28 Kb

April 29, 2008

Claremont 8, Etiwanda 6 (CHS record: 14-6, 9-3)

    Claremont High's freshman teams beat Etiwanda Tuesday, 8-6, at Etiwanda.

    The Pack freshmen chased the Etiwanda starting pitcher in the first inning, scoring three early runs. Dustin Keller walked and Sam Robinson singled him to third and took second on the throw. Victor Munoz followed with a single to left that drove in both runners. Daniel Kessler forced Munoz at second, and Landon Giammalva singled to left. T.C. Laszlo walked to load the bases, and Kessler came home on a wild pitch. Another walk signaled a call to the bullpen, and Chris Oropesa came in to quiet the Claremont hitters until he ran into control problems of his own in the third inning.

    After building the 3-0 lead, the Wolfpack gave it all back in the second inning. Starter Ryan Rodarte was effective in the first, but had control problems in the second, and the Eagles put together five hits and three walks to score five times and take a 5-3 lead.

    Oropesa tired in the third, as Giammalva singled with one out, and moved around to third on walks to Laszlo and Ben Perry. Dan Thies and Brant Havro were both hit by pitches, with each forcing in a run to tie the score. Keller then hit a ground ball up the middle that was fielded by the shortstop, who had no play. Perry  scored and an alert Thies scored all the way from second on the infield hit to make it 7-5.

    Perry came on in relief and gave the Wolfpack three and a third innings of solid work on the mound to get the win, setting the stage for Giammalva, who did a tightrope act in the seventh to get the save.

    Keller, Munoz and Giammalva all had three hits for Claremont, while Keller and Munoz also had two RBI.

    The box score and scorecard from the freshman game can be downloaded below.

 claremont_vs._etiwanda_box_4-29-08 30/04/2008,01:02 17.46 Kb

 claremont_vs._etiwanda_scorecard_4-29-08 30/04/2008,01:02 23.56 Kb

April 26, 2008

Claremont 7, Alta Loma 5 (CHS record: 13-6, 8-3)

    Claremont High's freshman baseball team  took the field for a rare Saturday Baseline League game and came away with a 7-5 victory over Alta Loma at Braves' varsity field. It was the sixth consecutive win for the Wolfpack.

    Grant Melker, back with the squad after a promotion to the junior varsity team, led the Pack offense with four hits in five at-bats, including a pair of doubles. His only out was a line drive right at the third baseman. In addition, he scored two of the Claremont runs.   

    Kyle Jackson took a day away from the varsity team and returned to the freshman lineup to contribute with his glove and his bat. He had a sacrifice bunt in the first inning, singled in the fourth and reached base on an error in the sixth. He also scored twice, and had four assists and a putout at shortstop.

    Daniel Kessler started and went three innings on the mound, giving up an unearned run in the first. He allowed just one hit, struck out five and walked four. A high pitch count and 90-plus-degree temperatures drove him from the game before he could pitch the four innings required to register the victory. Sam Robinson came on in relief and went 3 1/3 innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on six hits and striking out three to pick up the win. He ran into trouble in the seventh inning, when the Braves scored three times before Landon Giammalva got the final two outs for the save.

    The Wolfpack struck early, as Melker led off the game with a hard double that caromed off the third baseman. Jackson's sacrifice bunt moved Melker to third, and Robinson's fielder's choice grounder drove in Melker.

    Alta Loma tied the game with a run in the bottom of the first, but Claremont took a 2-1 lead in the second. Giammalva walked, stole second and moved to third on Tyler Mitchell's sacrifice bunt. Melker then doubled to score Giammalva.

    Despite both teams putting runners on base, the score remained the same until the fourth, when the Pack put three more on the board. Mitchell, Melker and Jackson all singled. Robinson grounded to short and Mitchell was cut down at the plate. With the bases still loaded, Victor Munoz fought off an 0-2 pitch and hit it to right for a single and two runs batted in. Kessler then hit into a fielder's choice, as Robinson came home with the third run of the inning.

    The Wolfpack made it 7-1 in the sixth on Kessler's sacrifice fly and Dustin Keller's RBI single. Alta Loma came back with a run in the bottom of the inning and got three more in the seventh, thanks to a long double by Jason Broussard.

 claremont_vs._alta_loma_box_4-26-08 26/04/2008,20:37 17.47 Kb

 claremont_vs._alta_loma_scorecard_4-26-08 26/04/2008,20:38 24.11 Kb