Tiger teams dominate on the Portola diamond

March 23, 2022 Editor

By Mari Erin Roth

Sports Editor

The refurbished Portola sports complex fields are ready and in good shape after a solid season of snow. Fans were able to enjoy games hosted by Tiger softball and baseball teams March 21 and 22 on site at Portola High School versus the past split venue events with the girls over on the city field and the boys on the old diamond at PHS. The design is really great for fans who are able to monitor one game while walking, on a very nice sidewalk, to the other game in progress. Enough about the field, how about the games?

Portola boys 27, Loyalton 3

It was rough luck for the Grizzlies that three of their players could not make the game, but Loyalton showed up anyway with seven players to play America’s favorite sport. The Tigers didn’t noticeably show any mercy, but both teams looked to have a great practice testing skills on the field in the non-league game. PHS coach Tim Brubaker said the Grizzlies were going to forfeit with only eight players coming but the referees were already on their way up the canyon so they decided to move forward to play, since they would be paying anyway. Hint, hint, if you have any interest in supporting High School sports by becoming an umpire or referee, they could really use more of them locally, and it’s a paying gig!

For the game, the Tigers scored 5 runs in the first inning, 19 in the second, and 3 runs in the third. The Grizzlies got on the scoreboard in the 3rd inning with one run and added 2 runs in the top of the final and 4th inning. The most frequent Tiger to cross home plate was Johnathon Moran, scoring 5 runs. The rest of the 27 runs were scored by Tanner Carr (4), Emery Powell (4), Cade Wilmer (3), Jackson Powell (3), Berg (2), Sheridan (2), Cody Wilmer (2), and Michael Stewart. RBIs were hit by Carr (3), Moran (3), Emery Powell (3), Stewart (2), Sheridan (2), Cody Wilmer (2), Jackson Powell (2), Cade Wilmer, and Berg. Moran hit a pair of doubles and Carr hit a double. Carr, Moran, Wilmer, and Emery Powell all stole a base.

Michael Stewart served as catcher for Johnathon Moran pitching. Moran struck out 3 batters and threw 36 pitches to 9 batters in 2 innings.

The boys play Chester at home this Thursday, March 24, starting at 4 p.m. They are hosting a doubleheader with the Los Molinos Bulldogs on Friday, April 1, at 2 and 4 p.m. No fooling.

Portola boys 26, Tulelake 7

The Tigers let the Honkers know they were not tired after winning game one by taking a giant in the first inning of game two of the doubleheader. The first inning the Honkers were held to zero and the Portola boys put an incredible 18 runs on the scoreboard. Good for the Honkers that they didn’t just pack up and go home, they came back with 2 runs in the top of the second and held the Tigers tail to no runs! Tulelake needed to take off at that point but they were held to 2 runs in the top of the 3rd inning and the Tigers took the chance to add another 8 runs to their score leading 26-4 heading into the 4th inning. The Honkers didn’t add any runs but held the Tigers scoreless also that inning. Tulelake added 3 runs in the top of the 5th inning and that was the end of the game, 26-7.

Tiger runs were scored by sophomore Johnathon Moran (4 runs), freshman Emery Powell (4), sophomore Tanner Carr (3), senior Michael Stewart (3), senior Sean Sheridan (3), sophomore Cody Wilmer (3), freshman Magnus Berg (2), senior Jackson Powell (2), freshman Bradley Silva, and senior Cade Wilmer. RBIs were hit by Carr (6), Stewart (4), Moran (3), Sheridan (3), Cody Wilmer (3), Berg (2), Jackson Powell (2), and Emery Powell. Grand Slams were hit by Carr, Berg, Moran, Cade Wilmer, Stewart, Sheridan, Cody Wilmer, Jackson and Emery Powell. Berg hit a triple. Carr, Moran, and Stewart all hit doubles. Base stealing was not at the premium you might expect, the Tigers had to get their runs the hard way for the most part, but Moran, Cade Wilmer, and Emery Powell stole one base each.

Emery Powell served as catcher for the entire game for pitchers Carr, freshman Ricky Richardson, Cade Wilmer, and Silva. In 1.2 innings Silva struck out 3 batters of 8 faced. Richardson struck out 2 batters of 9 faced in 1.2 innings. Carr struck out 2 batters of 6 faced in .2 innings, and Wilmer faced 5 batters in one inning.

Portola boys 14, Tulelake 1

The Tigers played game one of a doubleheader with the Honkers on March 21. Each team scored a single run in the first inning. The Honkers didn’t score in the top of the 2nd inning and the Tigers, well, they scored 10 runs. The Honkers were held to zero in the top of the 3rd inning and Portola added another 3 runs for the final score after a scoreless inning for the Honkers the top of the 4th inning.

Cody Wilmer hit 4 RBIs and Magnus Berg hit three. Carr, Richardson, Cade Wilmer, Stewart, Sheridan, Jackson and Emery Powell all hit an RBI. Runs were scored by Carr (2), Stewart (2), Cody Wilmer (2), Jackson Powell (2), Berg, Moran, Cade Wilmer, Sheridan, sophomore Chris Balan, and Emery Powell. Home runs were hit by Carr, Berg, Moran, Cade Wilmer, Stewart, Sheridan, Cody Wilmer, J. Powell, and E. Powell. Cody Wilmer hit two doubles, and Berg hit one. Carr, Cade Wilmer, Stewart, and E. Powell all stole a base from the Honkers.

Cody Wilmer pitched three innings and faced 14 batters, striking out four. Silva pitched one inning, facing three batters.

Loyalton Grizzly girls 12, Portola Tigers 3

Portola girls put up a good fight facing the Grizzlies March 22 in Portola. Loyalton scored a run in the first inning, two in the second inning and two in the third inning before the Tigers put a run up on the board. The Grizzlies added 2 runs in the top of the 4th inning and the Tigers added 2 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning. The Grizzlies continued the pattern, scoring 2 runs in the top of the 5th inning, and 3 runs in the top of the 7th inning for the final score, 12-3. The pitcher that gave the Tigers so much trouble was Loyalton Grizzly Alena Johnson. The junior pitcher struck out 16 Tigers with 98 pitches. Johnson pitched the entire seventh inning game facing all 29 Tiger batters. Stay tuned for Tiger stats. They are on their way. The next game for Tiger fans to attend in Portola is April 4 when they host Virginia City in a non-league game that will begin at 4 p.m. If fans are willing to travel, the Tigers play Chester Thursday, March 24, and Monday, March 28, in Loyalton with the Grizzlies. Both games start at 4 p.m.

Tigers 14, Hamilton 1

Over the weekend the Tiger girls competed in the Hamilton Tournament and won their game with the host by a wide spread. PHS was first on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a single run. Hamilton scored 1 run in the 2nd inning and the Tigers added 2 runs to maintain the lead, 3-1. Neither team scored in the 3rd inning and the Braves were not allowed to score in the 4th inning but the Tigers added 7 big runs. No more scoring for Hamilton in the final 5th inning but the Tigers added 4 more runs.

Portola Tiger M. Klemesrud, A. James, C. Klemesrud, R. Wallace, and A. Correl, all scored 2 runs each. A. Ross, K. Carlson, and A. Wicks all scored a run for the Tigers against Hamilton. M. Klemesrud hit a triple and A. Wicks hit a double.

The Tigers were slick, slick, slick stealing a total of 15 bases!!! Whoop! M. Klemesrud and A. James stole three bases each. C. Klemesrud, R. Wallace, A. Wicks, and A Correl all stole two bases each, and K. Carlson stole a base, too. James pitched the entire game striking out 3 batters of 18 faced.