Gold Sox clobber Hawks
Breaking out of a long hitting slump can be one of the most difficult tasks for a baseball player. Just ask Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox second baseman Ryan Angel.
Angel was in a horrible 0-for-21 slump before an infield single on July 26 broke the drought.
Angel, of San Jose State, is hitting close to .500 since breaking the slide and provided the Gold Sox with two hits, including a solo home run and three runs scored, in Saturday's 12-1 nonleague bashing of the first-year Lake County Red Hawks in Marysville.
“You've got to stay mentally strong,” Angel said about playing through a slump. “You get into streaks and think you're the worst player and then you can do what I am right now.
“You just have to learn what you're doing wrong. I was pulling my head.”
Angel's blast over the left field wall, above the Local Union 228 sign, gave the Gold Sox a 5-0 lead. He also knocked home A.J. Valentine in the Gold Sox' seven-run seventh inning with an infield single.
Angel broke his slump with an infield hit and said such hits are important when going through a bad spell.
“It's those bunts and little hits that help,” he said. “Then you hit those hard liners and start feeling a groove. I'm seeing the ball now. When you get out of a slump, you just have to keep swinging and working hard every day.”
Gold Sox starting pitcher Tony Biale broke out of a winless slide. He entered the game without a record, holding onto a .91 ERA in 12 appearances - six of those starts - and fooled the Red Hawks for six innings, notching the win.
Biale scattered four hits, allowed one unearned run, fanned three, walked no one and hit a batter. The Red Hawks managed just five hits the entire game.
“I thought I'd go a whole season without one,” Biale said of trying for a win. “I tried to locate my fastball and that seemed to work. My change up was good, and I knew that was going to play a part.”
Biale also said a five-run lead made it easier to pitch.
Scott Lemon took the loss for the Red Hawks. He allowed five runs - four earned - on seven hits while striking out four and walking one.
The Gold Sox teed off on Red Hawks relievers Dominic Sciucchetti and Greg Pease in the seventh inning, scoring seven runs to take the 12-1 lead.
“We put a whippin' on them,” Angel said. Hopefully, we can come out tomorrow just as strong or stronger.”
Designated hitter Buddy Morales hit a two-RBI double in the seventh to plate R.C. Dickerson and Brennan Garr. Valentine bashed a double to the left-center gap, scoring Jason Searle. Angel then recorded his second RBI.
Morales scored on a wild pitch; Angel came across on a Dickerson ground out - his second plate appearance of the inning - and Ricky Bambino came home on when Garr hit a popup behind second base that was dropped.
Frank Jeney, Morales and Bambino each had two hits. Morales and Valentine each knocked in two and Dickerson recorded one RBI.
The Red Hawks committed five errors.
Notes: Kyle Maunus will play all nine positions for the Gold Sox in tonight's final game against the Red Hawks ... hitting coach Ryan Tash pinch hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, hitting a ground ball to the shortstop that was scored an error ... Pitching coach Jack Johnson threw a perfect ninth inning in relief.
