Central Catholic falls to Yuba City in extra-innings D-III title game thriller
The Central Catholic baseball team never trailed in the first eight and a half innings of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship game against Yuba City.
It was an eventful section title game that saw the Raiders jump out to a five-run lead, and between the two teams, had 21 total hits, six total errors, 15 total runs scored and two ties.
But by the time the nine-inning thriller was over, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch sealed an 8-7 win for Yuba City, denying the Raiders a second title in three seasons.
“It just hurts for the boys,” Raiders coach Danny Ayala said. “They worked hard and I couldn’t be more proud of them. With the roster turnover we had and the fifth seed, nobody really put us in this spot.”
Yet another Kayden McHenry dominant pitching effort and good offensive at bats had the No. 5 Raiders cruising over the No. 3 Honkers in the driver’s seat through the first few innings.
The Raiders struck first in the third inning. Broden Thomas lined a leadoff double to right field and McHenry singled. Chase Perino drove Thomas in with a double, giving Central Catholic a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Joe Farinha drove in McHenry and Perino with a single, giving the Raiders a 3-0 advantage.
Yuba City scored once in the bottom of the inning.
Things stayed scoreless until the sixth, when the Raiders took advantage of errors and walks, bringing three more runs across to take a 6-1 lead.
A week after leading the Raiders to an upset win over top-seeded Oakmont, McHenry was dealing once again, allowing just five hits and one third-inning run through 5.2 innings pitched.
McHenry showed up in the biggest spot of his baseball career as a Raider. He was a member of last year’s team, which advanced to section and NorCal title games, but he played first base. This year, he worked his way to being the Raiders’ No. 1 pitcher and got the ball in the biggest game of the year.
“Just a championship effort,” Ayala said of McHenry in Wednesday’s game. “He’s been our guy all year, and in his last few outings, he’s given us every opportunity to win, and he did once again today. He’s worked really hard, and as far as his pitches and execution in big games, he did what he was supposed to do today.”
But Wednesday, he hit his pitch count, throwing 114 pitches, forcing a pitching change (the high school per-game pitch count is 110, but if a pitcher reaches that number in the middle of an at bat, he can finish it before he exits). His final batter ended with a walk, putting Yuba City runners on first and second with two outs.
The No. 3 team in the division went on a two-out rally that changed the course of the game. A hit by pitch loaded the bases, then back-to-back walks drove in two Yuba City runs. The designated home team scored once on a passed ball and two more runs on an Eliaja Moncher single, producing a five-run inning to tie the game at 6-6. A diving play in centerfield by Perino ended the inning.
The game stayed knotted at six apiece for the seventh and eighth innings before the Raiders brought home the first run of extras. AJ Miligi led off with a single, Caine Walker walked and Broden Thomas was intentionally walked, bringing up McHenry. On the fourth pitch of the at bat, Miligi scored on a wild pitch, giving the Raiders a 7-6 lead.
Yuba City led off the bottom half with back-to-back singles and had a runner reach on an error, loading the bases with one out. A Nike Ibarra single tied the game and Max Guth was hit by a pitch to drive in the winning run.
“I showed up knowing we’d have a dogfight,” Ayala said. “That was everything I think a championship game should be.”
The Raiders’ season is not done, as they advance to the CIF Northern California Regional playoffs in early June. Brackets will be released June 1 and first-round games are June 3.
“I think we have enough heart, enough character in this dugout, pride in this school and they come from great families,” Ayala said. “They’re gonna go home tonight and I’m sure it’s going to hurt. And tomorrow we’re gonna wake up, get back to work and get ready to win a state title.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 10:42 AM.
