Game slips away from the Rams, losing 8-1 to San Mateo

 

By Peter J. Suter

suterjpeter@gmail.com

 

After a competitive six innings the Rams baseball team let the game get away from them, losing to College of San Mateo 8-1 on April 18.

 

The Rams only run of the day came from sophomore first baseman Caden Clark, who hit a solo home run on a first pitch fastball in the second inning. Caden, a Louisiana native, went 1 of 4 on the day and has a .288 batting average this season.

 

“We had some pitchers come out here and compete, we just need to have better at bats,”

Clark said.

Sophomore pitcher Domonic Dumlao (#50) delivers an off speed pith during the fifth inning against College of San Mateo on April 18, 2019. Photo by Amal Ben Ghanem/ The Guardsman

Freshman pitcher Adam Sabatino kept the game close, with the Bulldogs leading 2-1 up until the sixth inning when San Mateo batters started to figure Sabatino out.

 

Top of the sixth, San Mateo’s first two batters got on base with a single and double, which lead to a downward spiral for the young pitcher. The next Bulldog batter drove in a run on an RBI single, making the score 3-1. Bases were loaded after the next batter was hit by a pitch.

 

At this point Sabatino began to show signs of wear, he walked the next two batters, adding to the Rams’ deficit. Head Coach Mario Mendoza decided Sabatino had had enough, making the switch to sophomore relief pitcher Dominic Dumlao.

 

“I could’ve taken Adam out sooner, but we have a lot of injuries this season and I trust my guys to keep fighting,” Mendoza said.

 

Former star pitcher at Riordon High School in San Francisco, Dumlao came in with bases loaded. If it wasn’t not for an error on a flyball out to left field, Dumlao would’ve gotten the Rams out of the inning without any further damage. The inning ended with San Mateo scoring six runs on three hits and one error.

 

This game was indicative of the Rams overall season. “We let one or two innings get away from us, otherwise, we have been competing in every game in a very competitive conference,” Mendoza said.

 

After the game, while icing his shoulder and elbow, Dumlao explained how he tries to help some of the younger players stay focused in the face of adversity. “I talk to all the guys as adults– this isn’t high school anymore– they respect that,” Dumlao said.

 

 

Though the Rams have struggled this season, it hasn’t been do to a lack of effort according to the Head Coach. The Rams are a young team with more than half of the roster registered as freshman.

 

“A lot of guys have seen more PT [playing time] because of injuries, but that will get them experience for the next season,” Mendoza said.

 

The Rams plan to use that experience going into next year’s season, they play their last game of the season on April 25 against West Valley.