Warriors win it in the ninth

Sophomore Ryland Hollins doubled home freshman Josiah Johnson with the winning run as the Del Norte baseball team upped its league record to 3-1 with a ninth-inning, 4-3 home victory over McKinleyville on Monday.

Johnson led off the ninth as a pinch-hitter and lined a single to left. He move to second on a passed ball, and Hollins brought him home with the walk-off double.

More than two hours earlier, the Warriors had taken a 2-0 lead in the first, which stood up until the fourth when McKinleyville tied it.

Each team scored another run in the fifth, and the game remained tied at 3-3 until the bottom of the ninth.

Layton O’Reilley pitched the final four innings of shutout ball for the Warriors and got the win, striking out four, walking one and giving up two hits.

T.J. Scott pitched the first five innings for Del Norte, striking out three, walking two and giving up five hits.

In hitting, Hollins went 2-for-4, Travis Stacey went 3-for-4, Barrett McClaflin went 2-for-4 and O’Reilley went 1-for-3.

Assistant Coach Casey Duncan also noted the efforts of freshman Nathan Porter, who one hit but made solid contact at the plate throughout the contest, and played a good defensive game at second base.

On Friday, Del Norte outhit but did not outscore Central Valley, losing 9-2 on the final day of a tournament in Redding.

Stacey was 2-for-3, and Hollins was 1-for-3 with two RBIs for the Warriors, who outhit their opponents 5-4.

The Warriors and now 7-4 overall, and next play Fortuna on the road Wednesday.