By Brie Phillips
Last weekend’s Gold Nugget Baseball tournament was hosted by the Yreka Miners. The top finishing local team was Yreka in fourth place. Etna came in sixth place and Mt. Shasta in eighth. Miner Kurt Lorenzini received All-Tourney honors, as well as Trevor Kendrick from Etna, and Colin Waterman from Mt. Shasta. The championship game between Central Valley and Klamath Union was delayed Saturday due to rainy weather. The game is set to be played on a later date.
Yreka coach Jason Freitas shared his thoughts on the tournament.
“I feel that as a baseball team we could have played a lot better. We seem to have one really bad inning and we are not able to rebound from it. I felt that the tournament went great except for not getting the championship game in. Having two teams from Oregon, one from the coast, and one from Oroville really gave the tournament some quality teams,” said Freitas. “I think the tournament took a huge step up from last year, and hopefully it keeps getting better.”

Yreka lost to Del Norte 3-8 on Saturday. The game was interrupted by some rainy weather causing the umpires to decide on a short rain delay.
Joe Wilson led Yreka in hitting, going 2/3 with a double and one steal. Kurt Lorenzini went 1/2 with one run, two steals, and was hit by a pitch. Zach Salvestro went 1/3 and had one RBI. Clint Amaral had one run, one walk, one steal and was hit by a pitch. Kyle Casson went 1/2. Amaral took the loss, pitching 1 2/3 inning. He gave up four earned runs, three hits, two walks and had three strikeouts. Kevin McCanna pitched 3 1/3 innings. He allowed four earned runs, five hits, one walk and had three strikeouts. The game ended early in the fifth inning due to the rain.
On Friday, Yreka was defeated by Klamath Union 2-12. Lorenzini led Yreka at the plate going 2/3. Devin Howard went 1/2 with one run. Salvestro had one run and one walk. Wilson took the loss, pitching 3 2/3 innings. He gave up three earned runs, two hits, and three walks. Dave Ellison pitched 1 1/3, allowing six earned runs, five hits, and one walk. Nate Lindley pitched two innings, giving up one run, two hits, a walk and had two strikeouts.
Yreka won a slugfest against Mt. Shasta on Thursday, 17-12. Andrew Ward led Yreka in batting going 3/4 with a double. He had one run, three RBIs, and a stolen base. Howard went 2/3 with two runs, two RBIs, a walk, a double and a home run. Amaral went 2/3 with a double, a walk, three runs and a one steal. Salvestro went 2/4 with three runs, three RBIs, one walk and one steal. Lorenzini went 2/4 with three runs, two RBIs, one walk, one stolen base and a home run. Wilson went 2/4 with two RBIs and a walk. Amaral was the winning pitcher, going three innings allowing three earned runs, four hits, and hadthree strikeouts. Starting pitcher Salvestro pitched one inning giving up three earned runs, four hits, two walks, and had two strikeouts. Kevin McCanna pitched three innings, allowing two earned runs, three hits, two walks and had two strikeouts.
The Mt. Shasta Bears were led by Andrew Campbell in hitting going 2/4. He had two runs, two RBIs and one stolen base. Brad Thomas went 1/4 with two runs, an RBI, one steal, and a homerun. Ben Sampson went 2/4 with two RBIs. Colin Waterman went 1/2 with three runs and two walks. Zack Morris went 2/5 with two runs. Brad Thomas pitched four innings giving up seven earned runs, seven hits, two walks and had three strikeouts.
The Etna Lions took a loss to Phoenix 4-7 on Saturday. Seth Jordan went 2/4 with a run. Trevor Kendrick went 2/4 and Jordan Pehle-Munson went 1/3 with a run and a RBI. Ben Besoain went 1/2 with a walk and a stolen base. Taylor Pehle-Munson took the loss on the mound, pitching three innings. He allowed three earned runs, three hits, one walk, had five strikeouts and hit a batter. Eric Freckman pitched four innings giving up two earned runs, three hits and had one strikeout.
On Friday, Etna defeated Mt. Shasta 13-1. Kendrick led the Lions at the plate going 3/3 with two runs, one RBI and was hit by a pitch. Robbie Munson went 2/4 with two runs and one RBI. Jordan went 2/4 with one run and one RBI. Jon Erickson went 2/2 with two runs. Hank Johnson went 2/4 with two runs, and Taylor Pehle-Munson went 2/4. Johnson was the winning pitcher, going four innings and allowing one earned run, two hits, a walk, and had 5 strikeouts. Kenny Muelrath pitched one inning giving up no hits, runs, or walks.
Waterman went 2/2 for Mt. Shasta with an RBI. Campbell went 1/2 with a run. Miguel Rodriguez took the loss on the mound.
Etna lost to Klamath Union 3-17 on Thursday. Kendrick went 1/3 with a double, one run, and one RBI. Taylor Pehle-Munson went 1/3 with one run and one RBI. Jordan Pehle-Munson went 1/3 with one run. Clint Eastlick was the losing pitcher.
Mt. Shasta played their final game against Las Plumas losing 9-13, on Saturday. Trent Hough and Waterman shared the lead in hitting for the Bears. Both went 3/4 with three runs, one RBI and one walk. Campbell went 2/4 with two runs and two RBIs. Sampson went 1/2 with two RBIs.
SiskiyouYouth contributor Brie Phillips is a senior at Yreka High School and covered the Yreka Gold Nugget Tournament as part of her senior project.