Colton, CA—The boys of spring are back, and on Saturday they opened their 2024 season with a double header against the Rancho Verde Mustangs.
Before the game, Colton began what looks to become a new tradition as legendary Yellowjacket Chon Calderilla from the Class of 1960 threw out the opening pitch. Team manager Emilee Rodriguez shared Calderilla’s accomplishments before the 81-year old Yellowjacket found the strike zone.
Game One
Only their first game of the season and the Yellowjackets are already putting up W’s in the win column, defeating the Mustangs 15-4.
The Yellowjackets wasted no time getting the jump on Rancho Verde, scoring seven runs on five hits in the first inning. Azael Hernandez knocked in James Ruiz for the first run of the year on an RBI double. Then the hits kept coming, with Roman Torrero, Daniel Segura, and Donavin Bobadilla all making solid contact.
In the third and fourth inning, the Mustangs looked to make a comeback, gathering four runs to close the Yellowjackets lead to three.
However, Colton would combat that with two runs of their own in the fourth, getting an RBI double from Hernandez and triple from Steven Aguayo that extended the lead back to 5, 9-4.
Colton was never challenged again by the Mustangs, expanding their lead with two more runs in the fifth inning and another two in the sixth.
Roman Torrero started the game on the mound, and pitched a complete game.
Game Two
After taming the Mustangs 15-4 in the opening game of the double header, the Yellowjackets took a little time to find their offense, but when they did they put another W in the win column, defeating Rancho Verde 12-5.
In the first inning, Rancho scored three runs as the Yellowjackets made three critical errors. However, the team settled down afterwards and held them scoreless until the top of the 7th inning.
It took three innings, but Colton finally started putting runs on the board as Rancho’s pitcher struggled with his control in the fourth, walking 6 batters. In the fifth, the Yellowjackets tied the game at 3 as Steven Aguayo doubled to left field, driving in Kyle Mejia. Rancho, feeling the pressure, committed a huge error on the next at-bat when they tried to pick off Aguayo at third and overthrew the base, scoring Aguayo.
In the 6th, Colton scored 8 runs to blow the game open as Rancho Verde struggled with their fielding. The crowning moment was when Adrian Colunga stole home base after Roman Torrero was walked.
Up Next: Tomorrow, the Yellowjackets will take on Lancaster High at 3 p.m. here at the baseball field as part of the annual San Gorgonio baseball tournament.
