Stat Stars: Escobar built to go the distance for Beyer baseball

Beyer High junior Josh Escobar wasn’t promised a place in the starting rotation at the outset of the season.

Today, the Patriots can’t get him off the mound. Nor do they want to.

Escobar, who began the season in competition with Matt Williams (now the starting catcher), is 7-0 with a minuscule 0.83 ERA and six complete games. He leads the staff in all three categories, and his win total is second-best in the Stanislaus District.

Escobar is third in the district in complete games, trailing only Ripon’s Luke Petker and East Union’s Marco Gonzales, both of whom have seven.

Escobar notched his latest complete game on Wednesday as the Patriots continued to beat up on the have-nots of the Modesto Metro Conference.

The Patriots pounded Johansen 15-0 in the second game of their three-game series. Escobar struck out six, walked two and allowed only three hits in his second shutout of the season.

“Escobar lets the defense work,” teammate Jack Large said, “and sometimes I think that’s better than having overpowering stuff.”

Baseball

Jack Mayer, Ripon: The junior tossed a five-inning no-hitter Tuesday at Riverbank. Mayer struck out five and walked two en route to his Stanislaus District-best eighth win of the season. The No. 1 small-school Indians have won eight straight games and will look to complete a perfect run through the Trans Valley League next week with a two-game set against Mountain House.

Eli Martinez, Enochs: The Eagles’ speedy leadoff hitter was 4 for 4 with a double and three runs scored in a loss Wednesday to No. 5 large-school El Capitan, which can wrap up a Western Athletic Conference championship next week against Ceres.

Jake Menasco, Manteca: The senior has been electric at the top of the Buffaloes’ lineup. Menasco was 4 for 4 in a 4-3 victory over Kimball on Wednesday. In his last five games, Menasco is 12 for 19 with nine runs scored. More importantly, the No. 2 large-school Buffaloes have won four of those five games.

Golf

Matt Robinson, Central Catholic: Robinson was named the Valley Oak League MVP after closing a banner season with a runner-up finish at the VOL Tournament at Saddle Creek Golf Club in Copperopolis. Robinson shot a 3-under 69, one stroke back of teammate Tyler Ward. The top-four finishers belonged to Central Catholic, the unbeaten VOL champion.

Softball

Raquel Chaidez, Enochs: The future looks bright for this freshman. Chaidez threw her first perfect game in a mercy-rule victory over Modesto. In a game that featured 11 runs on 11 hits by the Eagles – Taylor Espinoza was 3 for 3 with four RBIs – it was the lack of offense by the Panthers that shaped the story. Chaidez struck out six batters and is now 8-5.

Haley Fuller, Oakdale: The Fresno State-bound senior extended her hitting streak to 16 games with a single in a 6-0 victory over Central Catholic on Tuesday. Fuller is hitting 0.540 (27 of 50) during that stretch with two triples, three doubles, six home runs and 24 RBIs. One of those home runs came in a dramatic 5-3 loss to East Union, the Mustangs’ only defeat. The rematch is Tuesday in Oakdale.

Track and field

Downey boys’ 4x100 relay team: The Knights hadn’t been to the Arcadia Invitational since the Suzy Powell era in the 1990s. Downey returned this spring with a fleet of football players-turned-sprinters. The quartet of Andrew Raspo, Trevor Farris, Tyran Daniels and Braxton Howze finished eighth out of 60 teams, tying the school record of 43.15 seconds. Raspo sets the pace. The senior, who will run sprints at Ole Miss next year, set the school record in the 100-meter dash with a 10.83 at the Sacramento Meet of Champions.

Briseida Garcia, Gregori: Garcia is second-fastest freshman in the state in the 800. The rising star won the open division at the Sacramento Meet of Champions with a time of 2:14.28. She holds the school record in the 400 (1:00), 800 (2:14.28), 1,600 (5:13.69) and 3,200 (11:47.75).

Josthin Dawkins, Modesto Christian: Dawkins is one of the most gifted athletes in the region, as witnessed by his feats this spring. A proven force on the basketball court, Dawkins is the fastest of the fast in the Stanislaus District. He was clocked at 10.81 in the 100 at the Sacramento Meet of Champions. That time is a half-step faster than Raspo. Dawkins also possesses an 85 mph fastball, but chose track and AAU basketball over baseball.

Kendall McNair, Modesto: The senior won the 100 (11.30), the 110 hurdles (15.65) and the long jump (19-6) as the Panthers defeated Downey in an MMC dual, 93-27.

This story was originally published May 6, 2016 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Stat Stars: Escobar built to go the distance for Beyer baseball."