MAXWELL, CA (MPG) – Coming into the final week of the regular season, the Maxwell baseball team found itself second in the Mid-Valley League standings behind Hamilton City, but after sweeping the series from the Braves, captured their first MVL championship.
Beginning the series on the road in Hamilton City on May 5, Maxwell broke the game open with a five run fifth inning as it went on to a 13-3 victory and pulled even with the Braves.
Yahir Alcaraz turned in another solid performance at the plate going 2 for 4 with a double and four RBI, while Luka Benedet doubled and drove in two runs, Wyatt Roach had a hit and two RBI and Luke Pearson also doubled.
On the hill, Alcaraz got the nod and went four innings, scattering four hits and surrendering three runs before giving way to Levi Velasquez who closed out the final three frames yielding two hits and striking out three.
It was a different story two days later however as the Panthers needed some late inning heroics to edge the Braves 4-3.
Down 3-2 heading into the home half of the seventh, Maxwell rallied for two runs to walk it off and win the MVL title outright.
Roach held Hamilton City in check having put in six and two-thirds innings of work on the mound where he struck out four and yielded two runs, matching Hamilton’s Daniel Leal, a fellow sophomore hurler, pitch for pitch.
Yet, with Roach vacating as he approached 100 pitches, Velasquez took over and earned the win after he was able to induce the final out, despite giving up a run.
Colt Montgomery led the way at the plate going 2 for 2 and knocking in a pair of runs, while Vincent Orozco finished with a double and RBI.
Roach helped his cause with a hit and an RBI.