It has been an up-and-down season for the Wilcox baseball program thus far, but a prototypical Wilcox performance against Mountain View on April 17 earned the Chargers a series sweep over the league rival Spartans. Friday’s 2-0 victory improved the Chargers’ league record to an even .500 on the season. On a bright and sunny afternoon, Wilcox looked every bit like the Chargers baseball team that the locals have come to expect. 

The hitters didn’t launch a bunch of home runs, and the pitchers weren’t blowing opponents away with high velocity fastballs, but that didn’t matter. Wilcox did what it was known for: the pitchers threw strikes, the defense made all the routine plays (while adding some of the spectacular variety) and the offense made things happen with highly effective small ball. 

Sophomore southpaw Josh Porda worked out of a jam in the first inning and then cruised from there. The left-handed pitcher allowed just two hits over six shutout innings before giving way to Sammy Martinez who closed out the game in the seventh. 

Impressing defensively behind Porda was the left side of the Wilcox infield. Shortstop Ryan Cabildo and third baseman Dylan Jackson snared seemingly every ball that was hit in their direction. Cabildo shined with an impressive putout from deep in the hole in the third, and Jackson made a leaping catch in foul territory in the fourth. 

Cabildo also led the way for the Chargers at the dish. Hitting out of the two-spot in the order, Cabildo dropped a perfectly placed drag bunt down the left field line in his first at-bat. Still, at first with two outs, Cabildo stole second. Catcher Isaiah Mata then promptly knocked in Cabildo with a single through the 5.5 hole for the game’s first run. 

In the bottom of the third, Cabildo got things going again for the Chargers. This time, the star shortstop launched a drive that split the gap in left-center field for a double. Preston Jetson followed with a solid line drive single to center field, moving Cabildo to third. That’s when things got a little weird. Mata’s soft line drive to shallow center field landed right in the center fielder’s glove, and with Jetson running on the pitch, it looked like the Chargers would end up being doubled off to end the inning. Fortunately for Wilcox, the throwback to first got away from the Spartans’ first baseman, allowing Cabildo to score from third. 

The fortunate bounce gave the Chargers a key insurance run, one the team ended up not actually needing as the pitching and defense shut the door from start to finish. 

“I just wanted to attack with the fastball, mix in the curve and just throw strikes,” chimed Porda on his game plan going into his start. “Let them hit it, get weak ground balls and just have fun on the mound.”

Porda induced a lot of weak contact, and his infielders, particularly the two on the left side, ate them up cleanly time after time. 

“I take pride in being a rock on defense, trying to be that cornerstone of the defense,” acknowledged Jackson. “I want our pitching staff to know that if the ball is hit on the ground to me, or anyone on the infield, that it’s going to be a for-sure out.” 

If Wilcox pitchers can keep inducing weak ground balls, the Chargers will for sure be a tough out for all opponents left on the team’s schedule. 

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