QUINCY--It took two games and a near no-hitter by Feather River pitcher Scott Lewis before the Golden Eagles were able to punch their ticket to the second round of the CCCAA Northern California Playoffs with a 9-3 win over Cosumnes River on Saturday at Coates Park.
Earlier, Cosumnes River had kept their season alive with a 8-6 victory by scoring three times in the eighth inning to send the series to a rubber match. But in the winner-take-all third game, the Golden Eagles got a standout starting pitching performance from Lewis and consistent offense to claim the win and the advancement.
FRC, the No. 4 seed in the playoffs, gets to stay home next weekend and host the Super-Regionals against No. 5 seed Skyline on Friday (2 pm), Saturday (1 pm) and Sunday (noon) if necessary. Skyline, the champion of the Coast North Conference, advanced with a two-game sweep of Modesto. Feather River (34-9) and Skyline (32-8) have not met this season.
After a 7-4 win on Friday, Feather River was anxious to put the series to bed in the 11 am first game. They looked to be well on their way after scoring six times in the top of the second inning (FRC was the visitor in the contest) to claim a 6-0 lead. With ace Bridger Holmes on the hill, things couldn't have looked much better for the Golden Eagles.
But the Hawks jumped all over Holmes in the bottom half of the inning, slugging two wind blown home runs--the first two round trippers given up by Holmes all season. That included a three-run shot by Harry Owen, and before it was all said and done, the Hawks had cut the lead to one (6-5).
Holmes settled in after that and FRC also had two excellent relief innings from Kyle Giovannoni. On the other side, after FRC's early offensive outburtst, CRC reliever Nate Thompson locked up the Golden Eagles with a brilliant 6.2 innings of no-hit ball. He fanned 11 as neither team scored until the eighth.
In the bottom half of that inning, FRC closer Jake Christianson came in to try shut the door with a two-inning save, but two walks, a hit batter and an error led to Christianson exiting the mound. Cosumnes River sent three runners across the plate to take a 8-6 lead. In the ninth, the Hawks were the ones doing the door shutting by keeping the Golden Eagles off the board with a strikeout, ground out, a walk and a fly out by Thompson to end the game.
In the second game, Lewis made just his fourth start of the season and as it turned out, by far his most effective.
The Hawks didn't get on the scoreboard until the sixth when they scored an unearned run. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles scored at least once in five straight innings to keep the pressure on. Jake Madson had an RBI-single in the fourth and a two-run double in the fifth to lead the offensive attack. When the game was in the books, Madson had four RBI and Cooper Kitrel had three hits and two runs batted in.
Lewis didn't need any more support than that. He had a no-hitter through seven innings and the first two outs of the eighth. Finally, a solo home run broke up the no-hitter and a single by the next hitter chased Lewis. He departed the mound to a standing ovation from Feather River fans and his teammates, having only given up two hits in 7.2 innings, one walk and he struck out seven.
With the score at 7-3, Elijah Hinojosa came out of the bullpen and was able to get the last out of the inning via a strikeout. He then put the Hawks down in the ninth to secure the win.
Cosumnes River, the No. 13 seed, ends its season at 22-18.
