High School Baseball – 3/26

Last week’s results for the northeastern California teams we’re following, along with outlooks for upcoming games, are posted below:

Bear River Bruins: Since our last report, the Bruins have continued their winning ways by defeating the Antelope’s Center Cougars twice, 7-3 and 7-4, on 3/18 and 3/20, respectively. Thus, the team, now in sole possession of first place in the Pioneer Valley (PVL) carried an eight-game win streak into yesterday afternoon’s game against the Wheatland Pirates. The odds of the Bruins extending their win streak to ten games (by sweeping their two-game series against Wheatland) before next week’s paper are very good.

Chester Volcanoes: Over the last week, this young team won two games, beating the Portola Tigers 14-4 and the Modoc Braves 5-4. The Volcanoes also lost twice, being outscored 7-4 by the Hamilton Braves and 12-6 by the Loyalton Grizzlies. After a week off, the Volcanoes start Five Star League play next Tuesday, 3/31 at PM, against the Burney Pirates. Since the Volcanoes beat the Portola Tigers, 14-4, on 3/19 and the Pirates have lost twice to the Tigers (1-14 and 8-13) on 3/13, Chester has to be rated the favorite in next Tuesday’s contest.

Colfax Falcons: Last week, the Falcons played two games against the Lincoln Fighting Zebras, winning 5-3 on 3/18 before losing 5-11 on 3/20. Then, on Monday of this week, in a non-PVL game, the team succumbed to excellent pitching by the Rio Americano Raiders and lost 1-8. Starting next Monday, 3/30, and continuing through Thursday, 4/2, the team will participate in a tournament featuring games against the San Diego Academy Mustangs, Chula Vista Spartans, Mountain Crest Mustangs (Hyrum, Utah), and Oceanside Pirates.

Lassen Grizzlies: As expected, the higher-ranked Grizzlies outslugged the Mt. Shasta Bears last Friday, winning 10-8. The team then edged out the Phoenix (Oregon) Pirates 5-3, also on 3/20. The following day, however, the Grizzlies ran into tougher competition and lost to Eureka’s St. Bernard’s Crusaders (2-13) and the Etna Lions (1-10). Then, in another high-scoring game, the Grizzlies lost by 12-15 on Tuesday of this week to Oroville’s Las Plumas Thunderbirds. After a non-league game tomorrow, 3/27, at home against the Orland Trojans, the team will travel to play Redding’s University Prep Panthers. Neither of these teams should pose a huge problem for the Grizzlies.

Loyalton Grizzlies: While the Grizzlies were unable to pull off an upset against the Hamilton Braves and lost 2-7 last Thursday morning, they did triumph, 13-2, in the afternoon against the Burney Pirates. Then the team was edged 5-7 by the Quincy Trojans last Saturday. On Tuesday of this week, however, the Grizzlies won their third game of the season, beating the Chester Volcanoes 12-6. Today, Loyalton will be trying to avenge last week’s loss to the Quincy Trojans before playing another game against the Portola Tigers on Monday, 3/30. Since the Grizzlies beat the Tigers 12-2 on 3/2, Loyalton will be looking to repeat the victory.

Modoc Braves: Since last week’s edition, the young Braves lost to Oregon’s Lakeview Honkers (1-14), beat the Quincy Trojans (5-4) and Plumas Charter Warriors (9-5), and then lost to the Chester Volcanoes (4-5) and Quincy Trojans (0-11). Before next week’s paper is published, the team has only one game, on the road with the winless Bonanza Antlers of Bonanza, Oregon.

Nevada Union Miners: After being swept, 1-21 and 4-8, last week by Sacramento’s Del Campo Cougars, the Miners suffered a heartbreaking, 3-4, loss to the Placer Hillmen on Monday of this week. Yesterday, after our deadline, the team had a return engagement against the Hillmen. And, before we go to press on 4/2, the team is slated to play its third consecutive game against the Hillmen before starting a three-game set against Lincoln’s Twelve Bridges Raging Rhinos.

Placer Hillmen: Last week, the Hillmen took only one of their three games against the tough Roseville Tigers. But on Monday of this week, the team won a close game against Grass Valley’s Nevada Union Miners. These teams will finish their three-game set with a game yesterday afternoon and tomorrow afternoon. Next week, the Hillmen will play in a non-league tournament against Fresno’s Edison Tigers, Sacramento’s Bradshaw Christian Pride, Atwater’s Buhach Colony Thunder, and Palo Cedro’s Foothill Cougars.

Plumas Charter Warriors: Unfortunately, the Warriors were outscored 27-16 in the three games they played at the Biggs Tournament on 3/20 and 3/21. Now, the team is taking a break until they begin Evergreen League play by hosting the Tulelake Honkers on 4/13.

Portola Tigers: The Tigers are on a three-game win streak after beating the Burney Raiders (14-4), Fall River Bulldogs (6-3), and Virginia City Muckers since 3/19. Before our next edition, the Tigers will be at home against the East Nicolaus Spartans and Loyalton Grizzlies.

Quincy Trojans: Having won four out of the five games they’ve played since last Friday, the Trojans will take a 7-win, five-loss season record when they host the Loyalton Grizzlies at 3 PM today.

Truckee Wolverines: With one win and two losses against Reno’s Wooster Colts last week, the Wolverines start a three-game series against the winless Sparks Railroaders tomorrow. If the team sweeps these games, their season’s record will contain eight wins and seven losses.