MJC stung by walkoff loss at Sierra

A bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning sent the Modesto Junior College baseball team off the field with a tough 3-2 loss at Sierra on Thursday.

The loss, the rubber match of a three-game series, left Modesto (8-16, 2-7) and Sierra (12-12, 2-7) in a three-way tie for sixth place in the Big 8 Conference race.

The Pirates rallied from a 2-0 deficit, ignited by an RBI single in the seventh when Mason Washington singled home William Reeder. Modesto drew even an inning later when Reeder singled to bring in Ryan Vasquez.

Starter Matt Burrows gave up only two runs (one unearned) in 6  1/3 innings. The Pirates matched Sierra with nine hits, two apiece by Reeder and Washington.

MJC opens a three-game series against Santa Rosa on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Pirates’ park.

Golf

MJC ties school record – The Pirates, paced by Justin Schroyer’s 2-under-par 70, tied a school record by shooting 372 as they won the season’s eighth Big 8 Central Valley Division tournament at Ridge Creek in Dinuba. Modesto matched its record set two years ago at Stockton Country Club.

The Pirates’ Tim Eckert posted a 1-under 71 and Nick Sharp wasn’t far behind at 1-over 73. Modesto, which finished four strokes ahead of runner-up Reedley, sits in second place in the Big 8 and is ranked fifth in Northern California.

Tennis

Warriors unbeaten at Colorado – Cal State Stanislaus completed a 2-0 Colorado swing with a 5-4 win over Metro State. Analyssa Tallas clinched the win with a two-set singles win for the Warriors’ decisive point.

“Analyssa stepped up and won the match for us,” coach Verek Visaraga said. “Cassidy Ferrell also played an incredible singles match. These girls are doing really well and are starting to hit the mark.”

The Warriors (7-7) defeated Colorado State-Pueblo 8-1 earlier in the week. Wednesday’s match at Colorado College was canceled due to snow.

Soccer

Hutchins moves on to Washington – Kaycie Hutchins, a former Stanislaus women’s assistant coach, will return to her home state as the director of operations for men’s and women’s soccer at the University of Washington. She will work alongside women’s coach Lesle Gallirmore and men’s coach Jamie Clark.

“It is really hard to describe how much Kaycie contributed to our program,” Stanislaus coach Gabriel Bolton said. “She was so much more than just an assistant coach to the players and to me. UW is extremely lucky to get her and I know she will be an amazing addition to their team.”

Clint Long, another Stanislaus assistant women’s coach, will become a fulltime assistant with Embry-Riddle University in Arizona. Long joined the Warriors staff after he completed his illustrious playing career with the Warriors.

Earlier this month, former Stanislaus star Alexia Poon was named head coach at Arizona Western.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 7:52 PM with the headline "MJC stung by walkoff loss at Sierra."