GOOD KNIGHT AGAIN; BEARS BEAT BULLARD FOR FOURTH TIME THIS SEASON

The Bears finish 2-1-1 in the Fresno Easter Baseball Classic.

By Joe Pacheco
VSP Contributing Writer-

Buchanan’s success this season against Bullard continued Wednesday afternoon in the Easter Classic as the Bears defeated the Knights 8-3 at Buchanan High School. It was the fourth time this year that the Bears have emerged victorious over the Knights when they have battled one another on the diamond.

Making his first start of the season for Buchanan was pitcher Steven Lozier, who picked up the victory after allowing three runs on five hits while striking out five in 4 2/3 innings. Lozier, who had missed the early part of the season due to academic reasons, was glad to be back with the team.

“It felt good to get back,” he said. “I felt like I did pretty good my first time out.”

Buchanan head coach Tom Donald was pleased with Lozier’s performance.

“He never stopped working hard,” he said. “We knew he was a very talented kid.”

Aside from the solid performance on the mound, Lozier was also able to help his own cause at the plate with an RBI double to right as part of a two run third inning that gave Buchanan a 3-0 lead.

A turning point in the contest took place in the top of the second inning. Trailing 1-0, Bullard’s LaBronze Sanderson led off the inning with a single to right and advanced to second a few pitches later on a wild pitch by Lozier. Buchanan catcher Matt Millar took advantage of a mental mistake by Sanderson when he picked him off of second after taking too big of a lead. The mistake proved costly, as two batters later Matt Meyer followed up a Ryan Cox walk with a single to left.

“Matt Millar does a great job behind the dish,” said Donald. “That was a huge play for him to be able to back pick the runner like that.”

The Knights made a valiant effort to get back in the game taking advantage of a couple of Buchanan mistakes. Trailing 5-0 with two out in the top of the fifth inning, Chewy Telesco started the rally, reaching first on an error by Buchanan second baseman Brett Bishop. Matt Salazar followed that up with a walk. With runners on second and third after a wild pitch by Lozier, Blake Dunn put the Knights on the board with a two run double which was followed by an RBI single by Aaron Weimer.

The three run inning was as close as the Knights would get as the Bears would add two more in the bottom half of the inning and one more in the sixth inning.

“They’ve been in all the games this year,” said Donald. “It’s that Bullard tradition. You can’t give them an inch.”

Buchanan hit two home runs in the game as Andy Mehas went deep to lead off the fourth inning and Brent Etiz began the fifth inning with a solo shot of his own.

It was the second game of the day for both teams, as each were victorious in their earlier contests with Buchanan defeating North Bakersfield 7-0 and Bullard topping West Bakersfield 7-1.

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