QUINCY--The first three games in the Feather River-Shasta College series were each decided by one run. On Saturday, in the final two contests of the season slate between the two, the Golden Eagles wrote a much different script.
Feather River scored a season-high 20 runs in the nightcap of a 20-7 victory over the Knights, and plated 12 in a mercy-rule 12-0 opening win on a warm and sunny afternoon at the Nest. Head coach Terry Baumgartner's team improved to 9-0 at home this season, 26-7 overall and to 17-1 in the Golden Valley Conference. Shasta College leaves town with a 9-22 overall mark and the Knights are 4-14 in the GVC.
The Golden Eagles, who began the season 5-5 (Feb. 18), have gone 21-2 since. They have a two-game lead over second-place Butte College (15-3) in the GVC.
"I said before the season started that this team had a chance to be very good, even with a slower start," Baumgartner said. "They are working their way towards that now. We can still get better. Importantly, the players are responding very well to each of their roles."
In the first game, Baumgartner's team used a nine-run third inning to basically finalize a game that would be mercy-ruled after seven. In that onslaught, the Golden Eagles sent 14 batters to the plate and had eight hits. Jerry Thomas doubled and homered in the same inning while Ryan Blanchard singled and tripled.
All of this on a day with FRC starting pitcher Bridger Holmes didn't need a ton of support. The 6-foot-5 righthander from North Bend, Ore. went six innings and allowed just three hits. He walked two and fanned four to improve to 5-0 on the season.
In the second game, Feather River pounded out 13 hits, stole 10 bases and took advantage of five Shasta errors to roll to the 20-7 victory. The Golden Eagles scored in every inning except the second and fourth.
Blanchard had three hits, including another triple, scored three times and drove in three runs. Jake Madson had a pair of hits including a double, scored twice and had two RBI. Daniel Pruitt hit a home run, had three RBI and scored three times.
Feather River is now averaging an astounding 9.48 runs a game.
Baumgartner's team remains home for next weekend's three-game series with the College of the Redwoods. Friday's doubleheader begins at noon and Saturday's single contest is also at noon.
