The Mustang varsity baseball boys took the field on Saturday, March 7 when they hosted Cosumnes Oaks. Originally scheduled to be a double header, the teams played a single game where Cosumnes Oaks walked out victorious, 4-1.

Sophomore Tyler Hall took the hill for the Mustangs, pitching four innings, giving up two runs off four hits, striking out four and walking two in the loss.

Oakdale’s first baserunner came when junior Brad Aquino hit a double off the centerfield wall with two outs, a day where hits were scarce for the Mustangs, who got a total of three in the contest. Aquino reached base twice as he was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth.

Hall gave up his first hit on a bunt single by the Wolf Pack pitcher, Donovan Palma in the second inning with two outs. Things started to get away from Hall in the fourth when he gave up a leadoff single followed by an infield single and walk. With one out Tyler Cherry slapped the ball past third base and into the outfield for a two-RBI double to give the Wolf Pack a 2-0 lead.

The Wolf Pack tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning to expand their lead to 4-0. Oakdale got their second baserunner in the bottom of the fifth when Nolen Legan hit a single up the middle with two outs.

Oakdale made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh, when senior Wade Branch led the inning off with a single. Palma advanced three straight batters after Branch’s single to walk in the lone Mustangs run with no outs. The comeback fell short, though, as Palma retired the next three batters he faced.

Oakdale will participate in the Pedretti Tournament in Turlock starting on Thursday, March 12 before they begin Valley Oak League play on the road against Manteca on Wednesday, March 18 and have their home opener against Manteca on Friday, March 20. Game time is set for 4 p.m. both days.