Buckaroo seniors lead team to senior night shut out News Staff Wed, 04/24/2024 - 12:32 pm Cam Escalon slides and beats out a throw to steal second base during the third inning Tuesday, April 23 during the Bucks' 7-0 win over Millsap. Photo/Mike Williams Buckaroos pitcher Karter Smalley threw a complete game shutout Tuesday, April 23 against Millsap. Photo/Mike Williams The Buckaroos honored their group of eight seniors Tuesday, April 23 prior to their 7-0 win over Millsap. Photo/Mike Williams By Mike Williams news@breckenridgeamerican.com The Buckaroos celebrated their seniors Tuesday, April 23 with their fifth shutout in a row and a 7-0 victory over Millsap. The win was senior-led with a complete game thrown by a senior pitcher and four of seven runs batted in by seniors. The Bucks entered the game as a team that could finish no worse than second place in District 8-3A. The team looking to remain in a position to split a share of the district championship with Brock and having their best season since 2019 where the Bucks won 31 games while earning a trip to the regional semi-finals. Runs have come at a premium over the previous three games going into Tuesday’s win, with the Bucks scoring eight runs total in wins over Dublin, Early and Peaster. For the first two innings, that trend appeared as if it were going to continue. Defense ruled the first two innings with both the Buckaroos and Bulldogs combining for one hit. The tides began to turn in the bottom of the third inning. Senior Karter Smalley led off for the Buckaroos with a single and was followed by an RBI double by senior Bryson Herring. Smalley scored from first base while Herring was thrown out at third base trying to stretch the play into a triple. Senior Camden Escalon later hit a two-out single to right field, but was left stranded on a ground out to end the inning. It was a senior who got things going for the Bucks in the bottom of the fourth inning when Caiden Marin led with a double that bounced off the center field wall. Marin scored during the next at-bat when he was brought home with a line-drive single to right field by senior Aaron Moore. The runs continued in the fifth inning. Smalley led off the bottom of the inning by getting hit in the leg by a pitch. He was replaced on the base path by Cam David. David advanced to third on a single during the next at-bat by Herring. Herring advanced to second base on the throw to third. Two batters later Escalon singled to right field to bring home both David and Herring to take a 4-0 lead. Escalon stole second base and advanced to third on a ground out by Neiko Martinez. He scored his team’s fifth run on a wild pitch to Marin. A triple brought in the final runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Moore followed by drawing a walk and stealing second base. Senior Ashton Reyes hit a one-out single to right field that advanced Moore to third base. Both runners scored on a triple to right field by Smalley. Smalley’s success Tuesday night was not limited to his two hits, one run and two RBIs. He threw a complete game and gave up two hits, one walk and struck out six batters. “(He threw) really good, really efficient (and) worked ahead and (threw) a lot of strikes” Buckaroos coach Jeremy West said. “He’s done that for two years really, but tonight he had his good stuff and he was feeling it. That’s a pretty good baseball team and he absolutely shut them down.” Before the game, seniors Escalon, Moore, Reyes, Alexis Franco, Marin, Smalley, Herring and Christian Arellano were honored with an on-field ceremony. Following the game, the group of eight seniors took part in a ceremonial final run around the bases of Dee Escalon Field. “They’ve grown up together. They’ve worked hard,” West said. “They’ve played a lot of innings together. Their hard work is paying off as it should. A group of veteran kids that are seniors and they’re making the most out of their opportunity this year.” The Buckaroos will play their final district game of the season on the road Friday, April 26 when they travel to Brock. The Eagles currently lead the district with a 13-0 record. When the two teams last met, April 2, the Eagles were victorious 4-0. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Sports Log in to post comments
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