JC notebook: Despite injuries, Fresno City clinches tie for CVC baseball title

Fresno City College baseball coach Ron Scott never expects to get sympathy cards from opposing teams while the Rams deal with injuries.

Three games into the season third baseman Christian Funk suffered a nonbaseball injury. Then, outfielder Michael Beltran dislocated his left shoulder swinging a bat April 5, and while he’s been cleared to return he’ll have surgery on his nonthrowing shoulder after the season, Scott said. One day later at practice starting left fielder Nick Herbert collided with a teammate and had to miss the April 7 game (concussion protocol) but returned April 10 against the Blue Devils.

First baseman Noah Padilla came off the bag April 7 for an attempt at a swipe tag, and the runner ran into him, dislocating his finger. He’s likely out for the season.

And before the season started, first baseman R.J. Hartmann took a redshirt year after leading the Rams to the state semifinals a year ago.

Oh, and Scott missed practices and was slowed after undergoing hip replacement surgery April 5.

Through it all the NorCal’s sixth-ranked Rams have clinched a tie for the Central Valley Conference after a 4-2 victory over College of the Sequoias on Thursday, holding a four-game lead over Reedley with four conference games remaining. Fresno City (23-9 overall, 18-2) will host Reedley (21-11, 14-6) at 1 p.m. Sunday.

“MASH unit,” Scott said. “Nobody will feel sorry for us. This team has had a crazy year of stuff happening to us, but it’s still going well. We will get through this.”

Scott left the coaching duties to his assistants while he recovered. He traveled with the team Tuesday in the Rams’ 5-3 victory over Merced in 10 innings.

“This team is resilient,” assistant Eric Solberg said. “We usually don’t blow anyone out. It’s been a very strange year. I thought we wouldn’t be in this position 1 1/2 months ago. Every game is a challenge for us.”

Sophomores Conly Biglione and Logan Poisall are leading the charge, with Biglione batting .371 and Poisall driving in 26 runs. On the mound, Justin Heskett is 6-0 with three saves and 2.85 ERA and JJ Santa Cruz is 6-3 with a 3.17 ERA. Matt Walker (4-2) has a team-leading four saves.

“It’s a testimony to the players, coaches … everybody,” Solberg said. “We are grinding it out both from a players’ perspective and a coaching perspective.”

Rams roll to softball title – Fresno City has won 26 in a row and clinched the CVC title without even playing Tuesday.

Merced’s 2-1 victory over Reedley gave the Rams the outright conference title – Rhonda Williams’ seventh CVC title since taking over as coach in 1995.

State top-ranked Fresno City has two games remaining before the NorCal playoffs begin May 7.

The Rams’ win streak almost came to an end against Porterville on April 7, but they rallied in the bottom of the seventh with four runs – highlighted by Karen Zamora’s walk-off, run-scoring double for a 4-3 victory.

“I’m very proud of this team and their success so far,” Williams said. “Grateful for the recognition, but we still have work to do to accomplish our goals for the season.”

The Rams swept Reedley 11-0 and 8-0 in five innings Thursday. The Rams will visit San Jose City (26-9, 11-3) in a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday to wrap up the regular season.

Rams women excel in heptathlon – Moesha Davidson of Fresno City captured the NorCal heptathlon title with 4,774 points over teammate Melody Harris (4,555) at Hartnell College in Salinas on April 14.

Davidson and Harris will compete at the state championships May 20-21 at San Diego Mesa College.

Dhakiya Omawahleh of Sequoias also qualified with 3,926 points.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "JC notebook: Despite injuries, Fresno City clinches tie for CVC baseball title."