The Chester Junior-Senior High School Volcanoes baseball team moved into the California Interscholastic Federation Division 6 playoffs at home May 10 versus the Hayfork Timberjacks. The Vols prevailed over the Jacks, recording an 11-7 win and advancing to Round 2. Assistant coach George Wellman reported that the Vols brought an overall 14-6 and 6-2 league record into the playoffs.
The Vols made a run for the Five Star League championship the week before against Redding Christian but fell short, losing 21-11. The Vols finished with a 6-2 league record. The Vols’ overall record and strength of schedule sat well with the CIF Northern Section officials, said Wellman. The Vols are seeded No. 2, right behind No. 1 seed Redding Christian.
Against the feisty Timberjacks the Vols jumped to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning and four in the second to take a 6-0 lead. Neither team scored in the third. Starter Kooper Clark was relieved in the top of the fourth inning after not allowing a run and facing the minimum of nine batters in three innings of efficient work.
In the fourth the Timberjacks pushed two runs home on three hits. In the bottom of the fourth the Vols scored three runs on a lead-off double by Jax Holland, followed by a run-scoring single by Jacob Dowling. Chase Clark then doubled, driving in Dowling. Trent Tissot followed up with a single, driving in Clark. The Vols led 9-2 after four innings.
Caiden Clark in relief to Kooper Clark (not related) held the Hayfork nine scoreless in the top of the fifth, aided by an unassisted double play by Kooper Clark, now playing second base. The Vols plated two runs in the bottom of the fifth as Lucas Klimek lead off with a single, advancing to second on a bobbled play in the outfield. Klimek then stole third base and scored when Caiden Clark singled.
Clark then advanced on a stolen base and wild pitch to end up on third base. Jax Holland stepped up and drove Clark in on a hard
ground ball fielder’s choice to the shortstop. After five complete innings the Vols were leading 11-2.
Then came the Timberjacks’ turn to make it interesting going into the top of the sixth inning. The Jacks pushed over five runs, led by a two-RBI home run by Devin Nanez. The Jacks took advantage of three walks, one hit by pitch, and a double to score three more runs. The score stood 11-7 at the end of the sixth as the Vols failed to score in the bottom.
Jax Holland relieved Caiden Clark in the top of the seventh, needing three outs to secure the win. Holland came in throwing hard and with confidence, said Wellman. Holland struck out the first two batters, relinquished a walk, and then ended the game with a strikeout. With four batters faced and three strikeouts, the “W” is in the book for the Vols, said Wellman.
Timely and power hitting played well for the Vols, said Wellman, as they pounded out 13 hits including four doubles and one triple. Jax Holland went 2-3 with a double and triple, driving in two runs and scoring three runs. Jacob Dowling went 3-3 with a double and three RBIs, scoring one run. Caiden Clark added to the hitting attack, going 2-4 with a double, plating three RBIs and scoring twice. Caiden’s brother Chase contributed a double in a 1-4 effort, driving in a run and scoring one run.
Lucas Klimek scored three times, going 2-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch. Kooper Clark added a single on a 1-4 effort and scored a run. Trent Tissot contributed a hit and drove in one run, going 1-4. Callan Wiseman rounded out the Vols’ 13-hit attack with a single.
Defensively, the Vols did not commit an error and turned two double plays. In the third inning, first baseman Jacob Dowling snagged a hard line drive and tagged first base to double up the Jacks. In the fifth inning Kooper Clark executed the same double play at second base. Both double plays ended the innings for the Jacks and squelched any potential rallies, said Wellman.
The Vols’ overall record was brought to 15-6 with this playoff win.
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