GALT, CA (MPG) - It was a doubleheader full of drama, grit and the kind of baseball that keeps fans on their feet. The Galt High Warriors hosted Union Mine on Friday, May 24 and delivered a stunning comeback victory in the opener before falling short in the nightcap.

For six innings, the Galt offense was nowhere to be found. The Warriors entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 0-4, facing the very real possibility of a lopsided defeat on their home field. What followed was one of the more remarkable innings of the season. Galt erupted for six runs in the seventh to tie the game at six, sending the contest to extra innings. In the eighth, the Warriors pushed across the winning run to claim a dramatic 7-6 victory.

The box score tells the story of a wild game. Union Mine scored a run in the fourth, two in the fifth and appeared to put the game away with one more in the seventh before Galt answered right back. The Warriors finished with five hits and seven runs, overcoming three errors and a team batting average of just .167 on the day to pull off the improbable win.

 

Senior Trent Dozier pitches for the Warriors.

At the plate, senior Cash Myrick was the offensive standout, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and posting a team-best .500 average on the day. His OBP of .600 and OPS of 1.100 led all Galt hitters. Sophomore Angelo Sterni went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while junior Carlo Sterni added a hit, two runs scored and an RBI. Freshman Cody Dixon contributed a hit and an RBI in three at-bats, drawing two walks to post a .600 OBP. Junior Anthony Trejo reached base all three plate appearances, drawing two walks and taking a hit by pitch to finish with a perfect 1.000 OBP. Freshman Ricky Akers drew a walk and was hit by a pitch while scoring a run, and junior Jonny Cash worked a walk and scored as well.

In the circle, four Warriors combined to hold Union Mine to six earned runs across 8.2 innings pitched. Senior Trent Dozier was the workhorse of the team starting out on the mound, throwing five innings, allowing five hits and three runs – only one earned – while striking out six and walking four. Senior Cash Myrick relieved Dozier and threw 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and three runs, two earned. Carlo Sterni was put in third with one-third inning of work, allowing no hits or runs while issuing one walk. Freshman Ricky Akers closed it out with two scoreless innings, allowing no hits, no runs and striking out two while throwing just 25 pitches, earning the win on the mound to go with his contributions in the field.

Defensively, Galt posted a .903 fielding percentage with three errors, but Angelo Sterni was a bright spot behind the plate, handling nine chances without an error and posting a 1.000 fielding percentage. James Gilbert, Ricky Akers, Jonny Cash, Cash Myrick, Cody Dixon, Trent Dozier and Anthony Trejo all handled their chances cleanly as well.

The second game was close but didn’t go the Warriors’ way. Union Mine senior Nate Gregson was simply unhittable, throwing all seven innings and holding Galt to just one hit while striking out three and walking one. Gregson threw 76 pitches and held the Warriors scoreless from the first inning to the last, finishing with a 0.00 ERA on the day and earning the win.

 

 Junior James Gilbert makes a miraculous catch in center field against Union Mine.        

Galt’s lone hit in game two came in what was otherwise a frustrating afternoon at the plate. The Warriors were unable to generate any sustained offense against Gregson, stranding 10 runners – a season-high for a seven-inning game – and going 0-for-their-best-chances when it mattered most.

On the mound for Galt in game two, the same four pitchers who worked game one were called upon again. The Warriors kept Union Mine to just two runs and four hits across seven innings, but the offense simply could not answer. Union Mine scored one run in the fourth and one in the sixth to seal the 2-0 victory.