Yamazaki, DeLeon drive in two runs each in loss to Fresno

Genta Yamazaki and Julian DeLeon both drove in a pair of runs while R.J. Munoz had two hits to lead Taft College in an 11-5 loss in the opening game of a Central Valley Conference doubleheader at Fresno City College on Saturday. The Cougars also dropped the second game, falling 13-2 in a shortened seven-inning contest.

Taft fell behind early in Game 1, as the Rams put up two runs in the bottom of the first inning and three more in the second off Cougars' starter Jordan Eldred.

TC was down 6-1 before rallying for four runs in the top of the seventh. Yamazaki was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Andres Garza with a run and DeLeon laced a two-run single to bring home Munoz and Christian Wilson. Two batters later, Chris Scherbart drew a bases-loaded walk to score Yamazaki.

Yamzaki drove in the Cougars final run in the eighth, smacking a clutch two-out single to drive in Damien Holmes.

Eldred took the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) and 11 hits over six innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Fresno continued where it left off in Game 2. A six-run, second-inning by the Rams would prove to be all they would need to win the ballgame.

Taft totaled just two hits, getting a double from Blake Logan and a single from Yamazaki. Garza drove in both runs for the Cougars, hitting an infield groundout to score Logan in the third and a sacrifice fly in the fourth to drive in DeLeon.

Starter Jarod Lucas allowed six runs and four hits over 1 1/3 innings to take the loss.

Taft dropped to 1-23 overall and 1-18 in Central Valley Conference play. The Cougars enter their final week of play looking to snap an 18-game losing streak. TC returns to action on Tuesday (May 25) to open a two-game CVC series when they travel to Reedley College for a 2 p.m. conference game. The series concludes Wednesday (May 26) in Taft, also at 2 p.m.