PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : El Dorado Ends Katella’s Winning Streak

El Dorado shortstop Chris Remala hit a three-run home run in the first inning and the Golden Hawks went on to a 5-4 victory that stopped Katella’s six-game winning streak in the Empire League opener for both teams Friday at El Dorado High School.

Katella (6-1) had taken a two-run lead in the first on pitcher Jaret Wright’s run-scoring sacrifice fly and a throwing error on the relay to the plate.

“Our pitchers did a great job over the next few innings, and we played pretty good defense when we had to,” El Dorado Coach Steve Gullotti said. “Anytime that kid (Wright) is on the mound, they’re gonna be in the game.”

El Dorado (5-3) came back in the bottom of the first. Ryan Reyes singled to center and Trent Cuevas beat out a high bouncer to Wright. Remala hit Wright’s pitch over the center-field fence for his first home run of the season.

“It was the right ball in the right place,” Remala said.

El Dorado broke a 3-3 deadlock in the fifth inning after Chad Peters walked. A wild pitch by Wright moved him to second, and Reyes’ line single to left moved him to third. Wright then balked in a run. Another wild pitch moved Reyes to third, and he scored on Cuevas’ grounder to second for a 5-3 lead.

Katella scored in the sixth after Jesse Santivanez’s walk. A wild pitch and Brad Martin’s single to right put runners on first and third. Santivanez scored on relief pitcher David Perry’s wild pitch, but Perry got Dave Rojo to ground to short to end the inning.

The Knights had tied the score in the third inning on Santivanez’s one-out, run-scoring double to center. But Santivanez failed to score when winning pitcher Benito Flores got Leo Garcia to hit a double play ball to third.

“They mixed it up and made the pitches when they had to,” Katella Coach Tim McMenamin said. “Things went their way instead of our way.”