Layoff Doesn't Effect FRC in 9-5 Win

UKIAH--Six Feather River pitchers combined to hold host Mendicino College to just five hits and the Golden Eagles offense came out swinging during a 9-5 non-conference win on Wednesday afternoon.

It was the first game in 11 days for the Golden Eagles and they showed no signs of rust in moving their record to 5-4. The Mendicino Eagles are now an even .500 at 6-6.

Jerry Thomas got the offensive ball rolling for FRC in the first inning with a two-run homer as the visitors put up three runs before the Eagles could even come to bat. Nainoa Kane-Yates added an RBI-single in the same inning and Thomas added another run-scoring base knock in the second to put their team up 4-0.

Head coach Terry Baumgartner's team would go on to lash out 12 hits and send nine runners across the plate. Ryan Blanchard had three of those hits, including a two-run roundtripper in the fifth, when Kane-Yates also homered. Blanchard also doubled and scored twice. Eric Romero was also a big part of the hit parade, crushing a double and a triple.

"It was good to get back on the field," Baumgartner said. "We came out ready to play, which was good to see."

The coach could be proud of his pitching group, too. Six players got work in, allowing just five hits in nine innings while also fanning ten batters. Scott Lewis got the start, going four innings while allowing only two hits and a run. Following Lewis for an inning each was Elijah Hinojosa, Bridger Holmes, JJ Neal, Koby Roberts and Jake Christianson. Christianson closed out the game with three consecutive strikeouts. 

Feather River will continue their final stretch of non-conference road games on Friday and Saturday. On Friday they will visit Cabrillo (noon) and Laney (6:30 pm) and Saturday the opponent will be San Mateo (noon). The Golden Eagles will then return to Quincy for their home openers against College of the Siskyous (Feb. 25-26).