- Buhach Colony hit 11 batters and issued six walks over four innings.
- Atwater scored 15 runs on five hits.
- Atwater has won the last eight matchups against Buhach Colony.
The Atwater Falcons welcomed their crosstown rival, Buhach Colony High, to Memorial Park for the conclusion of their three-game series last Friday night. The Falcons had won the two previous matchups against Buhach and were looking for the season sweep against a familiar opponent under the lights.
The home team got on the board in the first inning when a wild pitch allowed Atwater leadoff hitter Kayson Faulk to come home from third base. Later in the inning, Mathias Cole scored from second base on a ball hit by Hudson Pimentel, giving Atwater a 2-0.
Atwater added more in the second inning. Logan Sanchez walked to get on base and then stole second. After the next two hitters reached base, Kayson Faulk hit a single, allowing Sanchez to score the first run of the inning. With the bases still loaded, Julian Madriz hit a single to the outfield, bringing home both Lanum and Navarro. By the end of the inning, Atwater had extended their lead to 5-0.
At the top of the third, Buhach Colony’s Julian Llamas led off with a single and stole second base to get in scoring position for Ethan Quintana, who singled to center field. Llamas was able to score on the play after an error by Atwater’s first baseman. The score gave Buhach Colony its first run of the game, but Atwater still held a strong 5-1 lead.
The Falcons exploded in the bottom of the third inning, in part, thanks to six hit batters by Buhach Colony. Atwater’s Cooper Lanum and Isaiah Navarro both reached base after being hit by pitches. Kayson Faulk followed with a single to left field, loading the bases. Julian Madriz then got hit by a pitch to reach base. With the bases still loaded, Mathias Cole hit a hard ground ball to the third baseman who made an error on the play, allowing a run to come in. Buhach followed by hitting the next two batters to score two more runs for Atwater. Buhach would eventually change pitchers and make it out of the inning, but not before allowing two walks and another hit batter with the bases loaded. By the end of the inning, the score was 12-1, Falcons.
Atwater’s pitcher Logan Sanchez was profound on the mound for the Falcons. After allowing a run in the third inning, Sanchez got through the fourth by striking out three Buhach Colony batters in a row. In the top of the fifth inning, with the mercy rule in effect, Sanchez completed the game by striking out the first batter, getting a ground out to second base and inducing a fly ball out to right field. Atwater secured the 15-1 victory and completed the series sweep of Buhach Colony.
Logan Sanchez, the winning pitcher who pitched five innings while recording 10 strikeouts and allowing one run, reflected on the team’s approach after the game. Sanchez said, “honestly, just swing the bats and for the pitchers to throw strikes.” Sanchez also noted how the team responded to the opponent’s pitching, saying, “We didn’t get out of the box when they were throwing it at us. We also hit really well.”
With the win, Atwater improves to 3-0 in league play and will face another highly anticipated matchup next week, as they host the defending CCC champion El Capitan Gauchos on Monday at 4:00 p.m. Both teams will enter that game undefeated in league play. Buhach Colony will travel to face the Golden Valley Cougars at Golden Valley, also at 4:00 p.m.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos. ↩︎
