Westside Braves split two twinbills

The Westside Braves 17-and-under American Legion baseball team, based in Corning, split a pair of weekend twinbills recently, as they hosted the South Humboldt 76ers of Fortuna and the Red Bluff Junior Bulls on June 15-16.

South Humboldt 5, Westside 4

The Braves rallied from a 5-0 deficit to score four runs and put the go-ahead run in scoring position in the Saturday opener, but lost 5-4.

Westside struggled offensively early in the game, failing to put a run on the board until the fifth inning.

Eight and nine hitters Daniel Mahutga and Sean Conrad drew back-to-back walks to open the fifth. Cody Fox belted a two-run single to score them, and two more walks loaded the bases with one out, but a double play ended the threat.

Westside got right back to work in the sixth, however, plating two more runs. Austin Grootveld walked and advanced on an errant pickoff throw, setting up a run-scoring single for pinch hitter Ethan Schmeltzer.

After Mahutga drew a base on balls, Conrad drilled a RBI single to put the tying run on base. Fox walked with one out to load the bases for the heart of the order, but the 76ers turned another double play to escape the jam.

Fox pitched a complete game for the Braves. He gave up two earned runs on six hits with one walk, two hit batsmen and two strikeouts.

Conrad, who finished 2-for-2, and his older brother, J.C., joined the team late after starting the season in Central Tehama Little League. J.C. went 0-for-3 with a walk in his American Legion debut.

Mahutga and Caleb Johnson added doubles for Westside and Casey Cleland added a base hit in the loss.

Westside 8, South Humboldt 3

Westside’s defense turned three double plays in the second game, enabling J.C. Conrad to dodge nine walks in a complete-game victory. The Braves won 8-3.

Conrad pitched seven innings, gave up three earned runs and struck out one batter. His teammates turned inning-ending double plays in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to help preserve the win.

Westside jumped on the 76ers offensively in the second inning, parading for five runs after sending 10 batters to the plate.

Grootveld and Marcos Malagon ripped consecutive singles with one out and Sean Conrad smacked a RBI single to kickstart Westside’s comeback from a 3-0 deficit.

Mahutga followed with a base hit, scoring Malagon, and Conrad tied the game when Schmeltzer’s ground ball to the left side was misplayed for an error.

Schmeltzler scored on a single by J.C. Conrad and after stealing second, Conrad crossed the plate on a hit by Fox, giving Westside a 5-3 advantage.

The Braves widened the gap in the sixth inning as Conrad was able to shut down South Humboldt’s offense. Schmeltzer and J.C. Conrad singled and Schmeltzer scored on a double steal. Fox singled, Alex Costa plated Conrad with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly and Fox stole home on another double steal, as Grootveld walked and took second base.

Fox, J.C. Conrad and Sean Conrad all collected a pair of base knocks for Westside in the victory.

Red Bluff 14, Westside 2

The Braves couldn’t stop the offensive firepower of the Red Bluff Junior Bulls, giving up 17 hits and losing 14-2 in the first game of a Sunday doubleheader.

Westside cut a 4-0 deficit in half in the bottom of the second inning, plating two runs after Marc Mason and Grootveld walked back-to-back. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Cole MacLachlan drove in Mason with a RBI single. Schmeltzer brought Grootveld home on a fielder’s choice as well.

Schmeltzer finished 2-for-4 and Fox had Westside’s only other hit. Mason pitched five innings and Schmeltzer closed for the Braves on the mound.

Jesse Accord paced the Junior Bulls with four runs scored, going 3-for-3, and teammates Trevor Miller, Richard Penne, Clifford Dais and Wyatt Dodero all clubbed extra-base hits.

Westside 20, Red Bluff 19

The Braves almost blew an 11-run third inning, but held Red Bluff scoreless in the seventh to hang on to a 20-19 victory in the second game.

Malagon doubled and scored three times and Schmeltzer also scored three times out of the leadoff spot for Westside. Schmeltzer led the Braves with three hits and teammates Quintin Flores and Mahutga had two apiece.

The game was downright ugly, with 15 errors committed between the two teams. The Braves pitching staff gave Red Bluff 14 baserunners (nine walks, five hit batsmen), yet starter Sean Conrad earned the victory and Caleb Johnson was credited with the save. Conrad gave up 10 runs (three earned) on five hits in four innings while Johnson was tagged for nine runs (seven earned) on six hits in three innings.

Red Bluff’s pitchers didn’t fare any better. They also issued 14 free passes and only gave up eight earned runs. Eric Lindeman went 4-for-5 with three runs scored to lead the Junior Bulls and Scott Farmer and Accord each scored three times.