OROVILLE--After Thursday's grand slam walk-off dramatics to clinch a share of the title, Feather River grabbed the crown outright on Friday in much different fashion with a 14-1 win over Butte College.
Feather River is the 2024 Golden Valley Conference champion with a 21-4 final league mark and they will take a 32-7 overall record into the CCCAA playoffs. They will be the No. 1 seed in the North.
After Jared Stevenson's walk-off grand slam on Thursday, today the Golden Eagles pounded out 16 hits and held the Roadrunners to just four base knocks in a dominator without any drama. Nonetheless, they still celebrated with abandon, dousing head coach Terry Baumgartner with a postgame ice bath.
It's the 14th GVC championship in Baumgarter's 17 years as head coach at Feather River. Overall as a program, Feather River will head to its 25th consecutive postseason.
Today in Oroville, it was a 1-1 game through three innings with FRC starter Eric Valdez cruising along having given up just one solo shot and one run. The Golden Eagles then made its first break away in the fourth with three runs, courtesy of a two-run single by Anthony Cepeda to make it 4-1. FRC added another run in the sixth, just a half inning after Valdez left the game having allowing just the home run, three walks and five strikeouts.
Leading 5-1, the Golden Eagles busted the game open in the eighth. They plated three runs with Grant McGuire's two-run single the big blow and the celebration began. They added six more runs in the ninth with McGuire adding an RBI-double and Justin Robinson a pinch hit two-RBI base knock. FRC ended the inning with a half dozen runs and five base hits to put the game on ice.
McGuire knocked in four runs in the contest and Zane Denton had three hits, scored three runs and had two RBI. Stevenson, Kolt Kurzman and Shane Danley had two hits apiece as a part of the 16-hit attack. Five of those 16 hits were doubles.
After Valdez's terrific start on the mound, the trio of Kyle Giovannoni, Ian Hoslett and Gage Hoyle combined to keep the Roadrunners off the scoreboard.
Butte, who will also see the postseason next week, finishes conference play at 19-6 and they are 27-12 overall.
More information coming this weekend regarding next week's CCCAA North playoff schedule.
