Cambria Reds play Arroyo Grande even for four innings before falling
The Cambria Reds’ spring break ended Saturday, April 2, when they traveled to the Soto Sports Complex in Arroyo Grande to play an Intermediate Little League team called, appropriately, Arroyo Grande.
As Tom Hanks said in “A League of Their Own,” there’s no crying in baseball, but for Little Leaguers, going up against a team with far more talent and resources is no break at all, in the spring, summer, winter or fall.
With his usual starting pitcher vacationing in Costa Rica — and knowing his team was “overmatched” against a squad from a far larger community — head coach Gary Stephenson gave his “just have fun” pregame speech.
The Reds quickly fell behind 5-1, although Anhase Martin battled on the mound for 1 2/3 innings. Alan Nunez pitched “three great innings” and the Reds got some runs to close the gap to 6-3.
Then Stephenson’s team tied the game on the fourth inning: With two runners on base Alan Nunez ripped a triple and scored on an error to tie the game at 6-6.
Stephenson said his team “should consider this a win” after playing “giant Arroyo Grande” to a tie going into the fifth inning. Unfortunately, the Reds ended up being hammered 16-6, but Stephenson let his players know — notwithstanding some “sad faces” — this was a game they could certainly be proud of.
The next Reds’ game is Tuesday April 5…
Special to The Cambrian.
This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 10:05 AM with the headline "Cambria Reds play Arroyo Grande even for four innings before falling."