SOLEDAD — The cold windy weather might not be ideal for baseball, but the Soledad Aztecs team is off to a strong start, going 3-2 so far this season.
Once the Soledad basketball season ended, several of the team players had to get ready to play a baseball game in seven days. Three of those basketball players were in the starting lineup for the opening day’s 5-0 win against Weston Ranch on Feb. 26.
No surprise that the Aztecs’ Eric Segura is off to a great start in his first two games on the mound, where he is 2-0, giving up only two hits in six innings of work.
Another Soledad pitcher who is off to an even better start is Andrew Nichols, who threw a complete game shutout in a 3-0 win against Pacific Grove on March 3. In his first two pitching appearances, Nichols has gone nine innings without giving up a run.
With the pitching good, Soledad will turn to another Banuelos to help generate runs this year. In the 13-5 win against Greenfield on March 1, Jeremie Banuelos went two for two with a home run and five RBIs. Banuelos (five) and Nichols (four) lead the teams in RBIs.
Last Saturday, Soledad was looking to stay perfect on the season but came up short to Calaveras High, who were 3-1 at the time. The Aztecs got out to a three-run lead but were unable to hold it, as Calaveras scored four in the later innings to win 4-3.
“We still have a lot to work on,” said Soledad Aztecs coach Damien Ryan.
Soledad started league play against Watsonville on Monday, losing 2-0, and will play them again Wednesday afternoon at home.
