YUYAMA LEADS BEAVERS TO WIN OVER BUTTE

Sophomore P/3B Blake Yuyama (Kennedy) had a great day on Saturday to lead the Beavers to a 9-4 victory over Butte College at Beaver Field.  The win pulled the Beavers back to .500 on the season and salvaged the series against the Roadrunners who took the first two games.  Yuyama, who is normally the starting third baseman threw 7 innings, allowing just two runs, both charged to him after he left the game in the 7^th and scattered 6 hits.  Through the first 6 innings he only allowed 4 hits and walked one.  He was also aided by a pair of double plays, one on the infield as freshman SS Nick Ochoa (Segerstrom) fielded a chopper to short, stepped on 2^nd and fired to first to complete the twin killing.  The other was a fly ball to right on a hit & run and sophomore RF Michael Grijalva (Ponderosa) threw the runner out at first. 

Offensively the Beavers tallied 14 hits and found a way to claw their way to a 5-0 lead into the 7^th inning.  They did get on the board early in the first inning as Yuyama tripled to right center with one out and Ochoa followed with an infield single to score him.  Both Yuyama and Ochoa had three hits on the day.  A.R.C. scored twice in the 4^th to extend the lead after sophomore C Kristoff Swanson (Del Oro) doubled to straight away center with one out to put runners at 2^nd and 3^rd.  After an error by Butte’s 3b allowed the Beavers to load the bases freshman CF Wyatt Winalski (San Juan) hit a grounder to 2^nd for a force out at second but the shortstops’ turn to first got away allowing two runs to score to put ARC up 3-0.  In the 5^th Ochoa singled in another run, one of his 3 RBI on the day to put the Beavers up 4-0.  Two batters later Grijalva singled in a run to give the Beavers a 5-0 lead.  Butte scored a pair of runs in the 7^th as Yuyama allowed the first two batters to reach.  In came freshman LHP Anthony Ocanas (Woodland) who got one of the three batters he faced but allowed one of Yuyamas runs to score.  Sophomore RHP Christian Lucero (River City) came in and shut Butte down in the 8^th on a pair of fly outs.  The American River offense would give Lucero some breathing room in the bottom of the 8^th however, as freshman LF Trevor Crockett (Del Campo) worked an 0-2 count into a bases loaded walk to drive in a run.  After a fielders choice cut down a run at the plate Yuyama stepped up and singled through the right side for his third hit of the day to drive in a pair of runs.  Ochoa then came up and picked up his third hit of the day and his third RBI with a single to left. 

Lucero did give up a pair of runs in the 9^th, his first earned runs of the season but the Beavers held on to win 9-4.  For Lucero he is tied for the state lead in appearances with 8 and in saves with 4.  The Beavers game against Solano College on Tuesday has been cancelled due to a scheduling conflict with Solano but the two teams will meet on Thursday and Friday to close out the pre-season before BIG 8 Conference play begins.  Thursday will be in Fairfield at Solano College while Friday will be back home at Beaver Field.

Photo Credit: XTG Media