Temple nearly hits for cycle as West wins Sunrise Rotary Baseball Classic

In his final game in a Turlock High cap, slugger Jon Temple gave a capacity crowd in his hometown something to remember him by.

Temple tested the fences at Stanislaus State’s Warrior Baseball Field, blasting a solo home run to left field and a two-run triple to right as the West won the 27th annual Modesto Sunrise Rotary Baseball Classic 7-5.

The game featured the top junior and senior talent from the Stanislaus District, but it didn’t take long for the city of Turlock to leave its mark on the affair.

Temple finished a double shy of the cycle and was named the MVP for the West.

“All the fundamental stuff we’ve been doing throughout the year, it really paid off today,” said Temple, also the Central California Conference MVP. “If my summer looks like that, it’s going to be pretty special.”

Temple wasn’t aware the cycle was in play until Turlock junior Tate Soderstrom stopped him as he was leaving the dugout for his final at-bat.

“He was putting the pressure on me to see if I could come through,” Temple said with a chuckle.

Well?

Temple struck out, chasing a fastball high in the zone.

“I was pretty (mad) I didn’t hit that one,” he said.

It was Temple’s only misstep of the night. The right fielder also tracked a ball into the gap to put the finishing touch on a performance that captivated fans and foe alike.

Pitman graduate and East all-star Colton Evans found Temple in a sea of well-wishers after the game. The former high school rivals and travel ball teammates shared a quick embrace.

“Amazing. Just amazing,” Evans said. “I’m so proud of Jon. … To see one of your close buddies do such a great job during the game, you can’t help but be proud of him. In the baseball community, you’re brothers. You pull for each other and hope each other does well.”

Evans was nearly as dynamic en route to MVP honors of his own. The CCC’s Offensive Player of the Year was 2 for 3 with a double and a run.

In the fourth inning, he turned a flair to shallow right field into a double and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Beyer’s Ryan Frakes.

Evans represented the game-winning run in the ninth but was left in the on-deck circle by West closer Blaine Weber, another Turlock High product.

“When you’re on deck like that, all you’re thinking about is, ‘Get me up. Get me up. I want this opportunity,’ ” Evans said. “I didn’t get that opportunity, but I’m still grateful for everything that happened.”

Pride and Bulldog prints could be found all over the Classic box score.

Anthony Encalade and Matt Carrigg also drove in runs for Pitman. Soderstrom reached base twice on a hit-by-pitch and walk, and Weber notched the save with two strikeouts in the ninth.

All told, the city of Turlock had six hits, five RBIs and four runs in a game that invited the top talent from Newman to Oakdale.

“We love to battle, especially when it comes to this area,” said Evans, a max-effort talent who will take his energy, ability and stirrups to UC Davis in the fall.

“In the CCC, there are some big rivalries. It just seems like whenever we got a league game or we go against each other, we are absolutely friends off the field, but on the field we want to win. Even in an all-star game like this, we’re giving it our all.”

Johansen’s Zack Klemin, Gregori’s Andrew Urrutia, Downey’s Brett Neves and Johansen’s Joaquin Ramirez drove in runs for the West, and Beyer’s Jordan Walls and Ceres’ Ricky Lopez doubled for the East.

Enochs’ Travis Graham also drove in a run for the East, which closed to within 6-5 in the eighth inning.

Frakes drove in two runs and turned in the defensive play of the night. The third baseman made a diving stop on Tyler Vandemark’s grounder and then threw out Gregori’s speedy leadoff hitter from the seat of his pants.

The main attraction, though, was Temple, one of the few players to play all nine innings.

What a month it has been for the recent graduate, who signed with Utah about four weeks ago.

Temple said he fell in love with Salt Lake City because the people, the city and its Division I baseball program remind him of home.

“The homey feel is pretty special,” Temple said of playing in front of hometown fans on Saturday night. “But when I went to Utah, it was pretty homey. The coaches welcomed me with open arms, and that’s a big thing. I’m looking forward to that same feel.”

Temple put the West ahead early, driving a two-run triple off the base of the scoreboard in right. He eventually scored on a throwing error to make it 3-0. Oakdale’s Ben Solario scored on a bases-loaded walk to cap the four-run third.

One inning later, Temple went the other way. This time, he greeted reliever Grant Williams of Hughson with a 360-foot solo blast near the bullpen beyond the left-field wall.

Temple reached base four times, including a walk in the sixth.

“I got a couple of good pitches to hit,” Temple said, “and I capitalized on it.”

This story was originally published June 11, 2016 at 11:48 PM with the headline "Temple nearly hits for cycle as West wins Sunrise Rotary Baseball Classic."