Westside Braves go 1-4 at Shasta Lake tournament

The Westside Braves played five games in the seventh annual Shasta Lake Bass 4th of July Tournament, held this year at Big League Dreams in Redding.

The Braves went 1-4 despite not losing any games by more than three runs, and they defeated the eventual champions during pool play.

Redding 11

Westside 8

Casey Cleland swatted three doubles and finished 4-for-4 with four runs batted in, but it wasn’t enough against the Redding Diamondbacks, as Westside lost its tourney opener 11-8.

Cleland and Caleb Johnson belted back-to-back doubles in the second inning to put the Braves’ first run on the board, but by that point they already trailed 3-1.

Redding scored four more runs in the bottom of the second, making it 7-1, and three in the third.

Sean Conrad lasted just three innings on the mound, giving up 10 runs (nine earned) on seven hits. He walked five batters and hit two, with no strikeouts.

Daniel Mahutga relieved in the fourth and held the Diamondbacks at bay long enough to give the Braves a few chances to rally.

Cole MacLachlan singled and teammates Conrad and Tyler McIntyre walked ahead of a bases-loaded, three-RBI double by Cleland in the third inning.

In the fifth, MacLachlan and Cody Fox hit back-to-back singles, Cleland ripped a run-scoring double and Johnson scored Fox with a sacrifice fly.

The Diamondbacks scratched for an unearned run against Mahutga in the sixth, but he closed the game allowing only two hits in three innings of work.

Westside mounted another impressive rally in the top of the seventh. Fox and Cleland both singled and Johnson reached on a two-out error, scoring one run. After a walk to Mahutga to load the bases, Marc Mason ripped a RBI single to represent the tying run, but a fielder’s choice ended the game.

Westside 013 020 2 — 8 11 3

Redding 343 001 x — 11 9 3

Westside IP H R ER BB SO

S. Conrad (L, 1-1) 3 7 10 9 5 0

Mahutga 3 2 1 0 1 3

Top hitters:

MacLachlan 2X4, 2 R; Fox 2X4, 2 R; Cleland 4X4, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 2 R; Johnson 1X3, 2B, SF, 2 RBI; Mahutga 1X3; Mason 1X3, RBI

Westside 9

Chico Suns Red 2

Cody Fox worked his way out of several jams for a complete-game victory against Chico in the second game of the day, as Westside pummeled the Suns Red, 9-2.

Fox gave up two earned runs on five hits, walked four and hit two batters with one strikeout. Chico stranded 11 runners on base, failing to capitalize on the six free passes.

The victory was sweet for the Braves, as they faced Corning defector Austin Arbogast and lit him up for six runs in the first two innings.

Fox singled ahead of Tyler McIntyre’s two-run homer in the first inning, and back-to-back walks drawn by Alex Costa and Mason kicked off another rally in the bottom of the second. Schmeltzer walked to load the bases and Fox plated Costa with a fly ball to center field. McIntyre walked and Cleland spanked a double to drive in two more runs. Caleb Johnson also hit a RBI single to supplement the rally.

The Braves poured on more offense in the fourth, scoring three runs to jump ahead 9-1.

Fox walked and advanced to third on McIntyre’s single, Cleland hit a run-scoring base hit and Johnson followed suit with a RBI single. Cleland later crossed on a wild pitch.

McIntyre led the team with three runs scored and Cleland finished the afternoon with four doubles.

Chico Suns Red 001 001 0 — 2 5 1

Westside 240 300 x — 9 9 2

Westside IP H R ER BB SO

Fox (W, 3-2) 7 5 2 2 4 1

Top hitter:

Fox 1X1, SF, RBI, 2 R; McIntyre 2X3, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R; Cleland 2X4, 2B, 3 RBI, R; Johnson 3X4, 2 RBI; Schmeltzer 1X2, R

Red Bluff 8

Westside 7

The Braves were out-hit by the Red Bluff Junior Bulls on the morning of Independence Day, as Westside was on the short side of an 8-7 score.

Westside mounted some impressive rallies early in the game to lead 7-3, but couldn’t contain the Red Bluff offense for seven innings.

Johnson walked and Mahutga hit a single to get the Braves going in the second inning. Mason clubbed a RBI double, Schmeltzer followed with a two-run single and MacLachlan added a sacrifice fly.

In the third, Johnson singled, Mahutga reached on an error and both advanced into scoring position on a double steal. Mason lined out to center field, deep enough for a sacrifice fly, and Schmeltzer drove in Mahutga with a groundout to the left side.

Fox walked and scored on a double by Cleland in the fourth, but Red Bluff rallied for one run in the fifih and four more in the sixth to take the lead.

Cleland’s double turned out to be Westside’s final hit, as Junior Bulls starter Maison Etzler finished strong for the complete-game win.

Dante Garaventa and Cliff Dais each had two hits and Wyatt Dodero doubled and scored twice to pace Red Bluff offensively.

McIntyre tossed a complete game for Westside, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Westside 042 100 0 — 7 6 2

Red Bluff 021 014 x — 8 10 5

Westside IP H R ER BB SO

McIntyre (L, 1-2) 6 10 8 5 2 5

Top hitters:

McIntyre 1X4, 2B, RBI; Johnson 1X3, 2 R; Mahutga 1X4, 2 R; Mason 1X2, SF, 2 RBI, R; Schmeltzer 1X3, 3 RBI, R

Pit River 3

Westside 2

Mason hurled a two-hit gem that afternoon against Pit River, but the Braves were clipped by a score of 3-2.

He allowed just one earned run, walked one and struck out 10 in a performance that was absolutely dominating.

The Braves only mustered five hits, however, and were scoreless until the sixth.

Schmeltzer singled and stole second to start a rally and Mason helped his cause with a RBI double. After a walk to McIntyre, Johnson hit a ball to the left side that ended up a fielder’s choice as Mason was caught hoping to advance. McIntyre scored from second on a pinch-hit single by Sean Conrad, who stole second, but the rally ended with runners at second and third when J.C. Conrad hit a comeback to the mound for the third out.

The Braves were retired in order in the seventh.

Westside 000 002 0 — 2 5 5

Pit River 001 020 x — 3 2 0

Westside IP H R ER BB SO

Mason (L, 1-3) 6 2 3 1 1 10

Top hitters:

Schmeltzer 1X4, R: Mason 1X3, 2B, RBI; Johnson 1X3; S. Conrad 1X1, RBI; MacLachlan 1X2

Eureka 7

Westside 5

The Braves’ comeback ended with the tying run in scoring position against the Eureka Dukes on the final day of the tournament, as Westside lost 7-5.

After Eureka built a 7-0 advantage in four innings, Westside began chipping away with two runs in the fifth.

MacLachlan, Fox and Cleland singled to load the bases with one out and Mahutga delivered a two-run single to put the Braves on the board.

In the seventh, Mason started another rally with a base hit. Cleland reached after an error on the right side and after a double steal, Mahutga walked to load the bases. Schmeltzer drew a full-count walk for a RBI and Sean Conrad’s grounder was misplayed to score two more runs. Schmeltzer bounded to third base on the play and Conrad stole second to get himself into scoring position, but an infield pop-up and groundout to the left side ended the threat.

J.C. Conrad started on the hill and suffered his first loss of the summer, giving up four runs (three earned) in two innings after struggling with control problems. He only gave up one hit, but seven free passes with four walks and three hit batsmen.

Fox relieved on a day’s rest and got no help from his defense, giving up three unearned runs in two innings. He struck out three batters with one walk in a rubber-armed effort.

Mahutga held the Dukes scoreless over the final innings, giving up just two hits while striking out three. Eureka managed to hang on for the win despite being out-hit by the Braves 8-6.

Westside (8-12) hosts the Shasta Lake Bass for a doubleheader on Friday, 5 p.m., at Corning High School.

Westside 000 020 3 — 5 8 3

Eureka 220 300 x — 7 6 5

Westside IP H R ER BB SO

J. Conrad (L, 1-1) 2 1 4 3 4 0

Fox 2 3 3 0 1 3

Mahutga 2 2 0 0 1 3

Top hitters:

MacLachlan 2X3, R: Mason 1X4, R; Fox 1X4, R; Cleland 1X2, R: Mahutga 1X3, 2 RBI, R; Schmeltzer 2X3, RBI