49ers sweep twinbill

Steve Shaver collected six hits - including a home run and three doubles - and drove in seven runs to lead the Yuba College baseball team to wins over the College of the Redwoods and Hartnell at Skyline College in San Bruno on Sunday.

“He hit some of the hardest balls he has hit all year,” said 49ers coach Tim Gloyd, who had guided his club to a 9-2 start.

Shaver was 3-for-6 with his home run, a double and four RBIs in the 49ers' 9-3 victory over Redwoods. A.J. Frank Avilla Jr. added four hits in the game, while A.J. Russo, Ruben Cardenas and Aaron Rowe each slapped out a pair of hits as part of a 15-hit attack.

Starter Matt Hurn picked up the win. He allowed three unearned runs on six hits and struck out six over seven innings.

Matt Morgan connected for a two-run home run for Redwoods.

The second game was a much tighter affair as Gary Kenyon pitched the final 2 1/3 innings to preserve the win for starter Cliff Cleland.

“Kenyon was absolutely unbelievable. He caught the first game against Redwoods then saved us in the second game,” Gloyd said.

Yuba fell behind 1-0 in the first, but answered with three in the home half of the inning, and led 4-3 after three. The 49ers put up another run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, but Hartnell (9-3) scored three times in the seventh to make it a one-run game again.

That's when Kenyon shut the door.

Shaver had a pair of doubles as part of his three hits and drove in three runs in the game. Avilla added two more hits to his day's work, while Russo connected on a solo shot, drove in two more with sacrafice flies and was hit twice.

Cleland (2-0) benefitted from the offensive output after giving up five earned runs on five hits and four walks over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

Yuba is back home today for a 1 p.m. game against Shasta, a make-up from a rainout in January.