The Skyline baseball team made it three wins with a stunning offensive performance, scoring eight runs, including a six-run sixth inning to defeat Gavilan College. After a loss last Wednesday against College of Marin, Skyline has responded winning nine of its last 10 games.
Skyline sophomore right fielder Vinny Smith delivered a big day at the plate, hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning.
“We were having pretty good at-bats and I just connected with one and it went out,” Smith said.
Smith said that last week’s loss had no lasting impact on the group and that the chemistry this season has created a great atmosphere for this team.
“I played with most of these guys last year so it’s mostly the same team,” Smith said. “Just knowing your boys got your back and we have that team bond, that team connection this year, it feels good.”
Skyline freshman starting pitcher Declan Mendel turned in a quality start, going six innings allowing just one run with six strikeouts.
“It felt pretty good… haven’t gone that far in a game yet, so it felt pretty good,” Mendel said.
Beyond his personal milestone, Mendel said the team is capable of holding it down to continue winning.
“We showed that we can bear down and not lower to our point of status. I think we are way better than this team, and we didn’t go down another level — we just played our game,” Mendel said.
Skyline sophomore corner infielder Jack Ruegg, who went into the game with a .472 batting average added another multi-hit performance, going 3 for 4. He credited the team’s disciplined approach at the plate for the big offensive sixth-inning.
“I felt like we just had good at-bats back to back to back. If we have good at-bats in a row, that’s where we have success,” Ruegg said.
With momentum on the Trojans side, the team now turns its attention to a big road matchup against West Valley College Vikings, a rematch from last season’s Super Regionals.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Ruegg said. “We get to play West Valley, they’re a good team and it’s a nice field. Then Cabrillo ends the week. Hopefully we can get two wins back to back.”
