Garcia homer leads CR past Butte

By Andrew Butler, For the Times-Standard

A third-inning two-run home run courtesy of James Garcia was all the Corsairs needed to top visiting Golden Valley Conference powerhouse Butte 2-1 Saturday.

The victory gave the three-game series to College of the Redwoods after the two teams split a doubleheader on Friday.

“It’s definitely nice to see the team turn it around, especially against (Butte),” Redwoods head coach Brad Morgan said. “We turned the switch today, and I’ve seen this team put it all together before, so I knew we were capable.”

Hokeem Sadon pitched a complete game for Redwoods (5-10, 11-18), allowing Butte (10-4, 17-11) just two hits and one run in nine innings while notching six strikeouts.

Sadon was particularly effective in suppressing the bat of Butte’s Connor Blair, who leads the conference in hitting. Blair was held to just one hit on four appearances at the plate.

“Hokeem has been very consistent this year,” Morgan said. “He’s been playing well for us.”

Redwoods catcher Hunter Jury played a solid defensive game in both Friday’s and Saturdays wins, throwing two Butte players out on stolen base attempts in each game.

“Throwing out a guy trying to steal second is a game changer in terms of stopping the other teams offense,” Morgan said. “It keeps the other team out of scoring position.”

Garcia’s home run made the difference in a tight game on Saturday, and it was all the defensively-stout Corsairs needed.

“I’ve been working on a new batting stance, and I feel I’m better able to get through the ball,” Garcia said. “It was a 2-1 count so I was expecting a fastball. I got one and that was it.”

Garcia went a prefect 3-3 at the plate in the game and Kokko Figueiredo had two hits on five at-bats. Jacob Bauer, Devan Barely, Jury and Sadon all had one hit on the day.