Shafter wins first section baseball title in school's 96-year history

VISALIA — Ninety-six years in the making, the Shafter baseball team finally got its Central Section championship.

Senior Matteo Martinez tossed a complete-game 3-hitter, striking out six, and the Generals dominated all facets of its first final since 1991, frustrating top-seeded Madera-Matilda Torres in a decisive 8-0 victory in the Division-V final on Friday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.

“At the beginning of this year, we started late, but we said ‘this is our year, this is our year,” first-year Generals coach John Hill said. “And look where we are right now. I could not be more happy for these boys.”

The victory capped a 21-6 season, the most wins in recent memory and just the second winning season in more than 20 years. Shafter’s only previous baseball final ended with a 6-2 loss to Tranquillity in the Sequoia Division championship game 33 years ago.

“They have so much heart and they just come out hungry every day,” Hill said. “They fight and they just want a victory every single game that they play. We’re 21-6 and it’s been a long time since Shafter has had a season like this.”

All three of the hits against Martinez came in the first two innings, with the right-hander working himself out of trouble and ending the Toros’ rally with a strikeout. Martinez hit a batter in the third, walked one in the fourth and hit another batter in the seventh, all with two outs.

“Matteo was lights out,” Hill said. “He’s one of the best seniors I’ve ever met. I’m so glad he’s been our boy for four years in high school. I wish this kid nothing but luck. He go on and play at any level that he wants to.”

Martinez closed out the win with a line out to center fielder Lukas Pena to end the game, who made a running catch, one of several dazzling defensive plays for the Generals in the field.

“Our defense was phenomenal,” said Hill, whose team turned three double-plays. “I’ve coached for many, many years and this is by far the best defense I’ve ever had.”

Torres (19-12) put the pressure on early, but the Generals’ had an answer.

Second baseman Javier Hinojosa made a running catch in shallow right field to record the opening out in the bottom of the first. Torres followed with two hits and had a runner on the corners when Martinez struck out Aiden Medina to end the threat.

First baseman Jesus Paez dug out a low throw to complete a 1-6-3 double play in the second to erase a lead-off single by Ryan Lutz. Martinez closed the inning by striking out Ruben Garcia to end the inning.

Martinez got things started at the plate in Shafter’s next at-bat, driving in the first run of the game after Hinojosa reached on an error to open the inning and Jacob Bernal followed with an infield single.

“It feels great to bring it back home,” said Martinez of the championship trophy. “We knew we could do it, and here we are, Valley champs.”

After a sacrifice bunt by Jaime Martinez, Matteo Martinez lined a single to left off Toros’ starter Will Valmonte. Vallmonte then walked three straight batters, two with the bases loaded, and the Generals led 3-0 in the third.

The following inning, Valmont struck out the first two batters and appeared to be out of the inning when Jaime Martinez lined out to right field. But the ball came loose to extend the inning. It was one of four Torres errors on the night.

Vallmonte then walked three straight and Alex Casanova Balderrama greeted reliever Hamoor Hans with a two-run single to build the Generals’ lead to 6-0.

The game took on even more significance since the Shafter football lost its only game of the season in controversial fashion to the Toros in the Central Section semifinals when an ineligible receiver caught a game-winning two-point conversion.

Torres’ clean-up hitter, Joe Bass, was the ineligible receiver. He went 1 for 3 on Friday, but lined out to Matteo Martinez to end the sixth with Shafter now up 8-0.

“I betcha (Shafter football) Coach (Jerald) Pierucci is enjoying that at home,” said Hill with a laugh. “Coach Pierucci, this was for you.”

Shafter, which opened in 1928, finished with nine hits. Catcher Jacob Bernal was 3 for 3 with an RBI and runs scored, Hinojosa had two hits and Casanova-Balderrama had three RBIs.