Paloma baseball team improves to 7-0 with 10-2 victory

Chapman Weber struck out 10 in earning the win for Paloma Valley. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

By Paige Mendez, Correspondent

The Paloma Valley baseball team won its home game against Temescal Canyon 10-2 Friday afternoon, improving their undefeated record to 7-0.

Wildcat pitcher Chapman Weber started the game with three consecutive strikeouts, then his team’s offense scored two runs in the bottom of the first. Temescal had two answering runs in the third inning, tying the game, but Paloma had a sacrifice fly and a double in their end of that inning to take the 4-2 lead.

And it didn’t stop there. By the end of the fifth inning, the Wildcats were sporting a 9-2 lead. That lead was thanks, in large part, to Ayden Harrison’s three-run homer in the fifth.

Zach Weber solidified the win for Paloma with a double in the sixth inning that scored their 10th run. Relieving pitcher Brody Smearer then ended the game in four at-bats, giving up one double followed by two groundouts and a flyout.

That Weber double made Paloma’s total nine hits on the game. The offense was led by Harrison, who had three hits and three RBI’s in four at-bats. Jacob Melendez joined Zach Weber with a double in the game.

Temescal Canyon put up five hits, while their pitching threw six strikeouts—none of which happened twice to the same players -- something Paloma’s head coach Jason Berni said he is proud of.

“We did a good job and made some adjustments,” he said. “As we came up in our second and third at-bats, we started putting the ball in play.”

Harrison’s home run was a textbook example of that. In his at-bat prior to the home run, he popped out to third, but, he said, he made adjustments in order to get the hit he had been looking for.

“I came pretty close two games ago and I’ve been wanting [a home run] really bad all day,” he said. “I’ve been working really hard and it’s nice to have it pay off.”

Chapman Weber, who gets the win for the game, had 10 strikeouts and two walks. His pitching is part of what Berni calls an excellent group.

“We’re fortunate to have the arms that we do because it allows us to play against anybody. We have a lot of great pitchers and I trust all of them,” he said. “All I ask is that our pitchers go out and give us a chance to win a ballgame, and Weber did that at the start then Smearer, although he had a little trouble at the start, was able to bear down and do an excellent job.”

Their depth in pitching is just part of what makes Berni and Harrison so excited about this year’s varsity team.

“This is a fun group to watch,” Berni said. “They enjoy each other and play hard for each other and that makes me proud as a coach.”

Harrison said that fun and dedication to each other is what he hopes will take them to a league title this year.

“I’ve been up here on varsity for two years and we’ve made playoffs before but this year we want the league so we have a home playoff game,” Harrison said. “I want people to get to know us because we’re coming in hot and ready to go.”

The next Wildcat matchup is next Wednesday’s game at home against Poly at 3:15 p.m.

Ayden Harrison connects for a three-run home run in the fifth inning. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 

A'Lyric Sepulveda approaches the plate with one of Paloma's 10 runs. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Chapman Weber dives back to first base on a pick-off attempt. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)

 Ayden Harrison slides safely into home plate on Friday afternoon. (Photo by Action Captures Media Group)