The push for playoffs: Chabot defeats De Anza, 8-4

On Tuesday, April 16, the first place Chabot Gladiators faced their fellow division rival De Anza Dons in an exciting and climactic game, resulting with their fifth consecutive win.
Unfortunately, the game started off with a bang for the Dons. The bases were loaded with only one out (a looking strikeout), until a ground out was hit to Gladiator shortstop Andrew Ramos to complete a 6-4-3 double play and get out of the inning. Continue Reading

 

On Tuesday March 19, 2013, the Chabot Gladiators baseball team defeated Cabrillo College with a score of 8-2. It extended Chabot’s win streak to five in a row and it helped them overtake Mission Community College for first place in the Coast/Golden Gate Conference. Continue Reading

On Thursday, March 21, 2013, Gladiator baseball faced against fellow division team San Francisco City College and came out the outstanding victor with a final score of 15-2. With a prompt 2:30 p.m. start, clear skies and cool breezes, the game began as any other game would: both teams eying a win. Continue Reading

On Tuesday March 19, the Chabot Gladiators baseball team defeated Cabrillo College with a score of 8-2. It extended Chabot’s win streak to five in a row and it helped them overtake Mission Community College for first place in the Coast/Golden Gate Conference.

The scoring began early for both teams in the ballgame with Cabrillo scoring first in the top of the first inning. Chabot answered back in the bottom half of the inning via a sacrifice fly by Andre Davis to tie the game at one.

After a 1-2-3 top of the second inning by Chabot starting pitcher Matt Narajara, Chabot’s offense would go on and score a total of four runs in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 5-1. The bottom half of the inning was highlighted by a two-run double by Tyler Davis, a RBI single by Brian Hamm, and an sacrifice fly by Andre Davis.

In the seventh inning, with the score being 5-2 in favor of Chabot, the Gladiator’s offense would go on to score three more times. An RBI single by Joe Mello and a two run double by Pat Mason contributed to the lead. This would be enough for Chabot to win the game as the final score was 8-2.

This Chabot Gladiators victory marked their fifth in a row and it couldn’t have been done without their starting pitcher Matt Narajara. Narajara’s performance helped the Gladiators win    the game as he pitched seven strong innings, giving up only two runs on seven hits. He also had six strikeouts and he picked-off runners at first base not once but twice.

Speaking to him after the game regarding the team’s fifth win in a row he stated, “It feels really good. We’re starting to really come together. It feels nice to get that next win. We’re going to move on from here. We have to keep working hard, keep playing hard, and keep playing our game. We should keep on rolling.”

Another player who stood out from the game was relief pitcher James Carter who came into the eighth inning to keep the defense intact. He did so by striking out two batters and giving up only one unearned run. His response to winning their fifth game in a row was, “It felt really good because in the beginning in the year we were struggling, but now we’re playing really well as a team. We’re hitting well, pitching well, and everything is going well.

Feb. 19, 2013 Chabot took on Cosumnes River College of Sacramento in their third home game of the season.

“We always have high expectations,” Coach Steve Friend said. “We have high standards and we set out to pursue excellence every day we’re on the field.” Continue Reading

On Friday, Feb. 1 2013, Chabot baseball kicked off their 2013 season against Santa Rosa College. With a 2 p.m. start, both teams showed how ready they were to play. Continue Reading

It’s officially October- time for leaves on the ground, pumpkin-flavored everything, and for baseball lovers, it’s playoff time! Perhaps the most exciting time for Major League Baseball (MLB), October is often the race to clinch the division or grab a Wild Card to guarantee a spot in the quest to the World Series. Continue Reading

The Chabot baseball team hosted Ohlone College last Tuesday, March 15. Good pitching and clutch hitting gave the Gladiators a 3-5 victory over their division rivals.

Gladiators’ pitcher Mike Botelho started the game for Chabot and set the tone in the opening inning. Botelho retired Ohlone’s first three batters with a pop out to center field, a ground out and a strike out.

Unlike the Ohlone Renegades, the Gladiators didn’t take long to put points on the board.

In the bottom of the first inning second baseman Brian Hamm hit a shot to left field, giving the Gladiators a lead-off double. Center fielder Marc Wik followed with an infield hit, putting Chabot runners on first and third with no outs.

Ohlone’s starting pitcher Matt Fontaine tried to pitch out of the inning without allowing any runs. But the right hander then got in a bigger jam by hitting the Gladiators’ third baseman and loading the bases with no outs.

A wild pitch to designated hitter Jake Whitney advanced the runners and gave Chabot a 0-1 lead. Whitney then had a productive out by hitting a ground ball to second and driving in a run. The Gladiators were now up 0-2.

Fontaine eventually got a strikeout and ended a stressful first inning for Ohlone. However, throughout the entire game Botelho showed his dominance. The starting pitcher for the Gladiators allowed seven hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings.

“Mike had a nice fine line between being tense and being relaxed,” said Head Coach Steve Friend when asked about his pitcher, “Physically he is always good. Mentally he was real good today.”

The Gladiators scored another run in the fifth making the score 0-3. An inning later the Gladiators again put points on the scoreboard.

Whitney led off the inning with a double to left field. Starting first baseman Craig Massoni then hit a double of his own and drove in a run, putting Chabot up 0-4. Later in the inning smart base running by the Gladiators gave them another run, providing for a dominant lead of 0-5 going into the seventh inning.

Ohlone College scored their only three runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Gladiators then played mistake-free defense and finished the game with the final score being 3-5.

“We’re just trying to focus on every single pitch,” answered Friend when questioned about his team’s performance, “You never know what pitch will change the outcome.”

Santa Rosa defeats Chabot in season opener

Cubs pitching allows just two Gladiator hits

Chabot’s 2011 baseball campaign began last Thursday, Feb. 3. The 32-11, 2010 Golden Gate Division joint-champion Gladiators hosted the Bear Cubs of Santa Rosa, who were looking to improve their 19-15 record from last year’s Big 8 Conference campaign.

Things started brightly for the Gladiators as designated hitter, Dan Skinner, parked a solo shot over the right-field fence. He led off the second inning to give the home side a 1-0 lead after a battling, nine-pitch at bat.

Although shortstop Rudy Leon would also hit a single later in the inning, it would be all the offensive output the Gladiators could call forward.

That’s because Santa Rosa starting pitcher Jon Flinn was the dominant righty, going eight strong innings. Flinn retired 14 consecutive batters while allowing just one run and two hits, walking two and striking out five.

By contrast, Gladiator starting pitcher Mike Botelho struggled through the third and fourth innings, giving up five runs on six hits, including a three-run homer for outfielder Jayce Ray in the fourth. Botelho was also tagged with two walks and credited with four strikeouts.

Perhaps sensing that the game was out of reach, and a long season looming ahead, Gladiator Head Coach Steve Friend went to his bullpen in the fifth inning, after which four of the young Gladiator pitchers saw action.

Freshman-righty Matt Lawrence threw two hitless innings while another right-hander, freshman Chris Kenney, added one of his own. Apart from the one run issued by the bullpen in their five innings of work, there were precious few highlights for the home team.

Although Gladiator catcher Tom Amato did throw out two base-stealers in the sixth and ninth innings, respectively, it was a disappointing opening performance for Chabot.

The Gladiators will be visiting Sacramento, Fresno, and Cosumnes River colleges as part of a six-game road trip before returning home to host Sierra College on Thursday, Feb. 24.

It’s a new year and there’s a new Chabot Gladiator baseball team waiting for the 2011 season to begin.

The Gladiators finished last season tied for the best record in the Coast Golden Gate Conference but fell to the would-be state champion, Ohlone College, in the Northern California Super Regional Tournament.

With five returning preseason All Americans in the lineup, the team that ranked first in RBIs, triples and home runs the previous year looks to change its complexion from a hitting ball club to a pitching oriented one, according to long time coach Steve Friend.

“We had a lot of sophomore starters on the team last year, so this year we have a lot of new guys looking to get a spot and looking to contribute,” said Friend.

[media-credit id=4 align="alignright" width="200"][/media-credit]Mike Botello and Brandon Plotz return to the lineup as preseason All American pitchers who look to deploy Coach Friend’s pitching oriented philosophy for the upcoming season.

Botello ranked third last year in ERA and was first in hits allowed and second in runs allowed in the Coast Golden Gate Conference. Botello is also being recruited by Cal State Long Beach, one of the top Division I baseball schools in the country.

Plotz ranked fifth in strikeouts while making the most starts out of any other pitcher in the conference.

Along with Botello and Plotz, Chabot has three other returning All American position players – infielder Sean Barrie, catcher Kyle Gallegos and first baseman Jake Whitney.

Barrie, although with limited playing time, topped the conference in batting average, hitting .500, while also bringing in the top on-base percentage at .606 and ranking 15th in runs scored.

Gallegos hit .341 last year, ranked fifth in on-base percentage, seventh in runs scored, 11th in hits and ninth in RBIs.

First baseman Whitney rounds out our All Americans. Last year Whitney hit .312 and had the most home runs by any returning player on the team. He ranked fifth in RBIs and 11th in walks, drawing 17 of them in the Coast Golden Gate Conference.

It’s obvious these players are going to mean a lot for the Gladiators this spring if they want to repeat their success of last season.

“You hope they show that leadership and show the younger guys what to do and keep them competitive,” said Coach Friend, “They mean a lot to us.”

Coming into the 2011 season the Chabot Gladiators are ranked fifth in the Northern California preseason poll, according to the California Community College Athletic Association.

“Those rankings mean nothing to us because they are based off of last year’s team and performance. With all these new guys on here we know we haven’t earned anything yet. So those polls mean nothing to us,” explained the coach.

“The competition is going to be high, within our team as well as against the other schools. That’s what I look forward to most,” continued Friend.

The season starts Feb. 3 at home against San Mateo, the team that tied Chabot for the best record in the Coast Golden Gate Conference in the 2010 season.

Coach Friend and the Gladiators look to maintain their “Tradition of Excellence” with their ninth consecutive playoff appearance and their 19th in 21 years.