Brown's slam lifts Sox

Head groundskeeper Dave Keller has many day-to-day responsibilities at All Seasons RV Stadium.

Not only does he chalk the lines, edge the infield and care for the pitcher's mound before every game, but he does many of the behind-the-scenes maintenance tasks that fans don't see.

Better add "water salvage expert" to his resume.

Keller didn't need galoshes or a paddle boat, but he was able to recover Danny Brown's fourth-inning grand slam ball that landed in Ellis Lake and the Gold Sox cruised to an 11-1 thrashing over the Morgan Hill Mudcats on Friday.

Brown jumped on a first-pitch fastball after Max Stassi walked to load the bases and put Yuba-Sutter up 8-1, but the New Mexico Highlands senior wasn't finished there.

He also doubled three times, knocked in an additional run and struck out the side in the ninth inning to clinch the victory on the mound.

Brown didn't get a chance to pitch at Highlands this past spring despite throwing numerous bullpen sessions, but consistently touched 91 miles per hour on the stadium radar gun Friday.

"I'd been begging (manager Jack Johnson) all year," Brown said. "I was in his ear all summer and he finally let me do it so that was a dream come true right there."

Brown's double was the spark that lit the offense in the second inning after Yuba-Sutter fell behind 1-0 in the first.

Andy Quiring knocked in Brown with a single to nab his first of two RBIs on the night.

Quiring later singled home another run in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 9-1.

Mikey Raudenbush was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Stassi scored three times.

"I'd been struggling lately and just tried to use my hands more," Brown said. "I was seeing the ball really well."

Yuba-Sutter pounded out 13 hits overall and have won nine of their last 10 contests.

Although most of the attention went to Brown and the offense, Yuba-Sutter's pitching staff quietly did what it has done all season - shutting down the opposition.

Yuba College right-hander Kendyle Blank earned the win by pitching four scoreless innings of relief.

He struck out four and only allowed two hits.

Starter Brett Shankin, who exited early with a sore shoulder, went four innings and struck out three, allowing the lone run in the first.

"It was the Blank and Brown show tonight, that's for sure," Johnson said. "That was a huge outing for (Blank). He picked us up."

After sweeping the Mudcats, the Gold Sox will face the El Dorado Hills Vipers to finish the season.

The Vipers consist of Division I, junior college and recently-graduated high school players and have never faced Yuba-Sutter.

Andy Hebrard (2-0) will start on the mound tonight with his team-leading 1.26 ERA.

Johnson said the team has been loose all weekend, knowing it may be the last time they ever see each other.

"A lot of the time players do better when they're loose and having fun," Johnson said. "They can see the end of the tunnel coming so they're sticking with each other until the final day."