Winter gave way enough for the Chester Junior-Senior High School Volcanoes baseball team to groom the field and host its first home game of the season, a nonleague game, against the Plumas Charter School (Greenville) Warriors. The Vols carried a 6-4 mark into the April 10 game after previously winning on the road against Burney in their league opener.
Assistant coach George Wellman reported that a classical battle well played by both teams saw the Vols prevail, taking a 5-4 victory in extra innings. Chester scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth, breaking a 4-4 tie and securing the win. The win moved the Vols’ record to 7-4.
“Solid pitching and defense sustained the Vols through eight innings,” said head coach Mike Klimek, “with Kooper Clark and Jacob Dowling
combining to give up only four runs on eight hits, with nine strikeouts and five walks. The defense held fast, committing only two errors and turning a pivotal double play in the top of the seventh to stem a Warriors rally.”
Plumas Charter led 2-0 through four innings and the Vols tied the game in the fifth inning. Kooper Clark led off the fifth with a double to set the stage for two runs to score. Kooper Clark advanced to third on a pass ball, and Caiden Clark stole second base after walking. Jax Holland drove in Kooper Clark on a long fly ball to center field, Caiden Clark tagging and advancing to third base. Jacob Dowling singled and drove in Caiden Clark to tie the game.
The Vols added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2. Callan Wiseman opened the scoring with a lead-off single, a walk by Lucas Klimek and a single by Talon Pleau, which loaded the bases. Following two strikeouts Caiden Clark put the ball in play resulting in an error, allowing Wiseman and Klimek to score.
The lead was short-lived as the Warriors rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 4-4. The Vols were unable to score in the bottom of the seventh, pushing the game into extra innings.
The Vols held the visiting Warriors scoreless in the top of the eighth and pushed over the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Caiden Clark led off the eighth taking first base on a hit by pitch, advanced to third as Chase Clark, Caiden’s older brother, singled. Jax Holland followed with a walk loading the bases. Jacob Dowling stepped up and was clipped by a pitch, sending the winning run home for the Vols.
Kooper Clark recorded the win, pitching a very solid six and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and four walks, and striking out eight on 110 pitches. Jacob Dowling relieved Clark in the top of the seventh with two outs. Dowling closed out the inning, inducing a ground out for the final out. Dowling faced four batters in the bottom of the eighth, getting the final three outs on a fly ball, strikeout, and ground ball out. Dowling recorded a save for his clutch effort on the mound.
For more details about the team, including game and season statistics, visit https://www.maxpreps.com/ca/chester/chester-volcanoes/baseball/.
Information provided by Chester Junior-Senior High School baseball team