The Taft Union High School Varsity Baseball team was on a two-game winning streak when they faced the Bakersfield Drillers, March 4 in Bakersfield. The Drillers had also won two straight and were 3-2 on the season while Taft was 3-3.
In a see-saw battle that saw a one-out Ben Nuncio homerun in the seventh bring the Wildcats within a run in the seventh, Taft fell to 3-4 with a 9-8 loss to Bakersfield.
Taft Union High School Varsity Baseball Coach Matt Davis said, “Our game against the Drillers showed just how far this team is progressing. We stayed patient in the box and forced BHS to throw us strikes. When they did, we attacked the ball well and capitalized on the walks we forced. Behind strong performances on the mound, we led for most of the game. However, some costly defensive miscues let the lead dwindle to a close loss. However, as disappointing as the loss was, I am still happy about the way this team is developing. We continue to improve every week.”
In game action, Taft scored a pair in the first on a dropped third strike, singles by Blayne Farkas and Nuncio, and with two outs, walks to Lane Cash, Grayson Barnett and Carter Moore that plated two runs. Bakerfield answered with a run in their first and after Taft took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third, BHS tied it 3-3 after three. Each team scored four in the fourth and BHS took a 9-7 lead after they scored two in the fifth.
Top Taft performances:
Taft outhit Bakersfield 10-8, and each team drew eight walks, but TUHS committed six errors to two for the Drillers. Six Wildcats connected for hits, led by Nuncio – 3-for-4, one walk, a homer, three runs scored and one RBI; and Cash – 3-for-4, one walk, a double and two RBI.
This week:
Taft’s Varsity Baseballers play a pair of road games this week. The Wildcats travel to Strathmore HS (1-5) March 12, then bus to Morro Bay to play the Pirates (3-1) March 14.