MAXWELL, CA (MPG) – A promising start in the championship game at their home tournament last Saturday afternoon ultimately went sideways for the Maxwell baseball team as it had to settle for second place after seeing a five-run lead dissipate in a 8-9 loss to Ferndale.
Despite being held in check throughout the early going, the Wildcats, who had beaten Biggs and South Fork to reach the championship, came back to tie in the sixth then scored the game winner in the final frame.
Lucas Bowen had a big day at the plate for the Panthers, going 3 for 3 with a double, while Yahir Alcaraz, Colt Montgomery and Wyatt Roach each finished with two hits, but it wasn’t enough.
Prior to the finale, Maxwell won its first two games, which were played last Thursday against Live Oak and Los Molinos respectively.
Facing Live Oak in a morning contest, the Panthers posted a 10-0 shutout victory behind sophomore hurler Wyatt Roach, who went four innings on the mound, striking out seven and yielding just one hit to the Lions.
Montgomery had two knocks and an RBI, while six others picked up hits as well.
Later that afternoon, Maxwell fended off Los Molinos 6-5 after walking it off in the bottom of the seventh.
Luke Pearson went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI with Vincent Orozco driving in a pair as part of his 2 for 4 day.
Levi Velasquez shouldered the load on the hill, going five and two-thirds with six strikeouts.
Also participating in the tournament was Pierce, which suffered subsequent setbacks to Los Molinos, Live Oak and Chester.
Mikey Acevedo and Diego Ambriz each came through with a hit and an RBI although the Bears dropped their first game 2-12 to Los Molinos, while Devin Garcia, Connor Harris and Noah Grajeda singled in the 5-14 defeat at the hands of Live Oak.
No information from the 5-6 loss to Chester was available.
Maxwell (5-3) hosted Pierce on Monday ahead of its trip to Palo Cedro on Thursday where it faced Redding Christian.
Meanwhile, Pierce, still searching for its first victory of the season, was back in Maxwell on March 16, ahead of a rematch with the Lions in Live Oak on March 17.
Tournament on March 12.