Vista takes three of four games at Yuba City tournament

Vista del Lago’s baseball team had an enjoyable spring break, as the team won three of four games to finish in third place at the Yuba City Tournament.

The Eagles improved their record to 14-7 with the three wins. The only game the team lost at the tournament was to Twelve Bridges, 4-3.

The Eagles led 3-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, but couldn’t hold the lead. Starting pitcher Jack Ellis walked the leadoff hitter, who eventually scored on a wild pitch to tie the game at three.

In the bottom of the sixth, things did not go well for Michael Nicosia, pitching in relief of Ellis, as he allowed a walk and hit two batters to load the bases before the Raging Rhinos won the game on a wild pitch.

Outside of that game, however, the Eagles played well in wins over Wheatland, 3-2, Yuba City, 8-3, and Marysville, 3-2, in eight innings.

“We had a good tournament,” Vista del Lago coach Jim Bazor said. “We lost a tough game to Twelve Bridges, but overall we played pretty well throughout the tournament. Cole Kachur hit his first varsity home run against Marysville.”

Kachur was the player of the game in Vista’s win over Marysville to end the tournament on Wednesday.

Kachur hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put the Eagles in front, 2-1. Marysville tied the game in the fifth inning before Vista won it in the eighth, as DJ Kubik was hit by a pitch and later scored on Kachur’s game-winning hit. Kachur knocked in all three runs and had three of Vista’s six hits.

Chris Scoggins, Ryan Lafortune and David Wright combined to allow two runs on six hits, while striking out six.

In the 8-3 win over Yuba City, Nat Ha and Logan Shamblin both had two hits and two runs batted in, while Conner Gastelum had three hits and scored a run and also drove in a run. Jacoby Jones, Max Prouhet and Nicosia combined to allow three runs on only two hits with five strikeouts.

In the opening win of the tournament, a 3-2 win over Wheatland, the Eagles again received fine pitching from Carson Kocina, Lucas Tuggle and Wright, who allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out five.

Offensively, Vista scored all three runs in the fifth inning, all with two outs. Gastelum and Ha walked before Gastelum scored on Asher Taylor’s single. Russell Snyder then doubled in Ha and Taylor.

The Eagles jump back into Capital Valley Conference play with three games against Ponderosa next week.

“I feel our pitching is where it needs to be heading into the last couple of series,” Bazor said. “We are playing better baseball defensively and we are making louder contact. I’m hopeful and excited to play Ponderosa next week.”