Windy, raining, cold weather prevailed as the Chester Junior-Senior High School Volcanoes baseball team traveled to Portola for a league game April 23, reported assistant coach George Wellman. However, “on entering the beautiful Portola facility and upon greeting Portola’s head coach, Tim Brubaker, the rain abated, clouds dissipated and sunshine blessed another great day for baseball,” he said.
Wellman pointed out that this was a pivotal game for the Vols, as league play was of utmost importance at this juncture. They came in riding a 3-1 league record and needing to continue winning out over the next two weeks in anticipation of meeting league opponent Redding Christian on the last day of the season’s schedule on May 3. The Vols’ lone loss in league play so far had been to the Redding Christian Lions on April 16.
Portola jumped on the Volcanoes in the first inning, sending eight batters to the plate and scoring four runs. The Tigers pitcher and power hitter Emery Powell delivered a huge double in the first inning, driving in three runs. In the bottom of the first the Vols scored one run and trailed 4-1 after the first. Jacob Dowling relieved Lucas Klimek in the bottom of the second inning and tamed the Tigers over the next three
innings, not allowing a run on one hit.
The Vols plated three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 5-4 lead on a two-run home run by Jax Holland. This was Holland’s fourth home run of the season, leading the Vols in that category. The Tigers were held scoreless in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the fifth the Vols did not score and the Tigers responded with two runs in the bottom to take a 6-5 lead. Key hits by the Tigers were provided by Taner Carr and Johnny Stewart, each hitting doubles and scoring.
In the top of the sixth the Vols responded with four runs on four hits, including a lead-off triple by Lucas Klimek, a double by Chase Clark and singles by Jax Holland and Jacob Dowling. The score now stood 9-6 with the Tigers coming to bat in the bottom of the sixth.
Not to be denied, the Tigers scratched out a run on three hits, the score now 9-7 with the Vols leading at the end of the sixth. In the top of the seventh the Vols worked three walks and a hit by pitch to plate a run. Jacob Dowling then followed with a deep sacrifice fly ball driving in a run. The Vols now led 11-7 going to the bottom of the seventh.
The Tigers clawed away on two hits and a fielding error by the Vols, scoring two runs in the bottom of the final inning. The Vols held steadfast with Dowling retiring the side on three ground ball outs, preserving a hard-fought 11-9 victory. Jacob Dowling worked six innings of clutch pitching to up his record to 4-1 for the season, leading the team in wins. Wellman said Dowling has been a workhorse for the Vols, with a seasonal pitch count of 508 and a team-leading ERA of 3.89.
With this game, the Vols’ record climbed to 4-1 in league and 11-5 overall.
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
