After rain delayed the scheduled home opener for varsity baseball the previous Friday, our Bulldogs geared up on Thursday evening for their matchup against the King Wolves. On the bump for the Bulldogs was junior Matthew Yarc (#7) whose right-handed profile is among the best on the team.

Scoring started early for Ayala with a run scoring in the bottom of the first before the teams swapping 2 straight scoreless innings going into the fourth. After Ayala put up another run on a two-out double with a runner on third to put themselves up 2-0.

Yarc had gone through 5 scoreless innings while striking out 6 before running into trouble when he, with the bases loaded, ended up allowing 2 runs to score before being taken out with 2 away in the inning. 

With the game tied and runners on, senior #35 Cadin Gates took over on the mound and was able to get out of it before any more runners scored. In the bottom of the inning, a runner was able to reach before sophomore #26 Elijah Ybañez ripped a double the opposite way to right field to score the go-ahead run in the 6th.

With a 1-run lead in the bottom of the 6th, the Bulldogs home dugout roared with cheers after having lost a few tough ones on the road; two games decided by one run, a 7-6 loss to Ocean View in extras and 9-8 loss to Charter Oak, set their sights on a statement win in their first home game.

Gates went back out to finish the 7th, and retired them in order, catching his last batter looking on a pitch on the outside edge. 

Our Bulldogs will face Colony tomorrow at home for what they hope will be another win of a possible winning streak after starting 0-2. Currently being 3-4, they’ll try to get back to .500 and continue their success from recent seasons.

Final box score:

King – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 2 – 0 : 2

Ayala – 1 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 1 – X : 3

(W) – Gates (12)

(L) – Evangelista (12)

Yarc (11) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 3H, 6K

Ybañez (10) – 1 for 1, 2B, 1 RBI

Trugman (9) – 2-2, BB