Martin Gomez nearly did it.
The senior pitcher's bid for a no-hitter ended when he gave up an infield single to Chris Fleckenstein with one out in the top of the seventh inning of the Central Valley High School varsity baseball team's 4-0 win over Weston Ranch in Game 1 of their Valley Oak League series on Tuesday, April 21 in Ceres.
"To be honest, I'm not mad," he said. "I don't really care about that stuff. I just want to win. That's what is most important."
Martin tallied 15 strikeouts during his 88-pitch outing. He shut down the Cougars for 61/3 innings.
"I was just trying to throw strikes and have my defense back me up," Gomez said. "I wasn't feeling no pressure. I wasn't thinking about it (the no-hitter)."
Martin recorded 10 consecutive strikeouts at one point in the game, then another four in a row.
"When he's on like that, that's what he's capable of doing," Hawks head coach Greg Magni said. "He threw everything for a strike. He was locked in. We needed that from him."
Gomez received more than enough run support from his teammates.
Martin helped his own cause with a single and a run.
Greg Guerra tripled, doubled and knocked in one run.
Israel Trevino doubled, singled and scored once.
Damian Adams doubled and scored a run.
Scott Myatt collected an RBI.
William Mestas added a run.
CV 12, Weston Ranch 1
Junior pitcher Greg Guerra allowed just one hit and struck out six during the Hawks' 12-1, mercy-rule triumph over the Cougars in Game 2 last Thursday in Stockton.
Martin Gomez had a career day on offense as he fell a single shy of hitting for the cycle. The right-handed slugger batted 3-for-4 from the plate with a 400-plus-foot grand slam, a double, two runs scored and five RBIs.
Central Valley totaled 13 hits during the five-inning contest.
Israel Trevino doubled, singled, scored three times and drove in one run.
Brian Creek finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Scott Myatt, Michael Melton, Damian Adams, Jesse Perea, William Mestas and Luis Rodriguez all contributed one hit.
Central Valley tallied three runs in the top of the first inning, one in the second, six in the fourth and two in the fifth.
The Hawks will travel to Manteca on Thursday to face Sierra. The VOL contest will begin at 4 p.m.
The senior pitcher's bid for a no-hitter ended when he gave up an infield single to Chris Fleckenstein with one out in the top of the seventh inning of the Central Valley High School varsity baseball team's 4-0 win over Weston Ranch in Game 1 of their Valley Oak League series on Tuesday, April 21 in Ceres.
"To be honest, I'm not mad," he said. "I don't really care about that stuff. I just want to win. That's what is most important."
Martin tallied 15 strikeouts during his 88-pitch outing. He shut down the Cougars for 61/3 innings.
"I was just trying to throw strikes and have my defense back me up," Gomez said. "I wasn't feeling no pressure. I wasn't thinking about it (the no-hitter)."
Martin recorded 10 consecutive strikeouts at one point in the game, then another four in a row.
"When he's on like that, that's what he's capable of doing," Hawks head coach Greg Magni said. "He threw everything for a strike. He was locked in. We needed that from him."
Gomez received more than enough run support from his teammates.
Martin helped his own cause with a single and a run.
Greg Guerra tripled, doubled and knocked in one run.
Israel Trevino doubled, singled and scored once.
Damian Adams doubled and scored a run.
Scott Myatt collected an RBI.
William Mestas added a run.
CV 12, Weston Ranch 1
Junior pitcher Greg Guerra allowed just one hit and struck out six during the Hawks' 12-1, mercy-rule triumph over the Cougars in Game 2 last Thursday in Stockton.
Martin Gomez had a career day on offense as he fell a single shy of hitting for the cycle. The right-handed slugger batted 3-for-4 from the plate with a 400-plus-foot grand slam, a double, two runs scored and five RBIs.
Central Valley totaled 13 hits during the five-inning contest.
Israel Trevino doubled, singled, scored three times and drove in one run.
Brian Creek finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Scott Myatt, Michael Melton, Damian Adams, Jesse Perea, William Mestas and Luis Rodriguez all contributed one hit.
Central Valley tallied three runs in the top of the first inning, one in the second, six in the fourth and two in the fifth.
The Hawks will travel to Manteca on Thursday to face Sierra. The VOL contest will begin at 4 p.m.
