YREKA – Hosting their first Gold Nugget baseball tournament, the Yreka Miners found themselves riding a roller coaster of emotions on the way to a 1-2 tourney record.

The Miners were matched up against eventual Gold Nugget champion the Del Norte Warriors (6-3-1), in round one. The Warriors put three runs on the board in the top of the first inning for the early 3-0 lead. Yreka put up a run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 3-1.

Neither team scored again, until Del Norte added an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Trailing by three runs going into the bottom of the seventh, the first Miner batter struck out. Andrew Ward, however, singled and moved to second, when Wade Berryhill reached on an error. Then, Nate Lindley took a walk to load the bases. The Miner faithful, perhaps with fresh memories of Yreka’s last inning comeback win over Mt. Shasta earlier in the week, sensed another miracle. This time, it was not to be, as the next batter popped up to second for an out, and the last Miner batter went down swinging.

For the Miners, Ward went 2/3, with a run and an RBI. Berryhill was 1/3 with a steal. Ethan Garrett went 1/3 with a double. Andrew Ward started on the mound and was tagged with the loss (4IP, 3R, 5H, BB, 3K, HB). Robert Moeai pitched three innings in relief (R, 3H, 2BB, 2K, 2HB).

The loss dropped Yreka into the loser’s bracket, where they faced the Central Valley Falcons (9-5), who had lost to Etna, 6-5, in round one. The game was scoreless until the top of the third, when the Falcons posted four runs on the board. Yreka came back with single runs in the fifth and sixth inning, to make the score 4-2.

CV added a run in the top of the seventh, making the score 5-2, and seemed poised to make it back into championship contention. But, as the Falcons soon learned, the Miners’ never-give-up attitude can’t be overlooked.

Ward completed the Miners’ four-run seventh inning comeback, when he scored on a passed ball that rolled just a few feet from the Falcon catcher. The final was Yreka 6-CV 5.

Berryhill went 2/4, with a run. Garrett went 1/4, with two runs, and three steals. Grant was 1/3, with a walk, a run, and two swipes. Ward went 1/4, scored the winning run, and had an RBI. Garrett notched the complete game win (5R, 3ER, 3H, 4BB, 7K, 2HB).

The win put Yreka into a Saturday morning rematch with Del Norte, who had lost Friday night to Etna 9-5. After Del Norte scored two runs in the top of the first, Yreka pushed three across the plate to lead 3-2, after one inning. Del Norte scored two in the second inning and Yreka scored one run to make the score tied 4-4.

Both teams went scoreless through the next three innings, but the Warriors blew the game open in the final two innings. Del Norte exploded for six runs in the sixth, and another four in the seventh inning to lead 14-4. The Miners added a run in the bottom of the seventh, making the final 14-5.

Kurt Lorenzini went 2/3, with an RBI and a walk. Andrew Jones was 1/2, with a run, a double, and a walk. Garrett scored a run, knocked in a run, and stole a base, while going 1/3. Berryhill was 1/3, with a double, a run, and a steal. Grant went 1/1, with a run, an RBI, and a walk. Berryhill started on the hill and left with the game tied 4-4 (5IP, 4R, 3ER, 5H, 2BB, K, 3HB). Lindley got the relief call in the sixth inning and recorded no outs (5R, 3ER, 4H,). Moeai pitched the last two innings (5R, 2ER, 4H, K, HB).

The loss set up a rematch with CV for third place. Unfortunately for the Miners, CV took the lead 2-0 in the first inning, and cruised to an 11-1 win.

Brandon Meeks walked and scored Yreka’s only run in the third inning. Lorenzini started and went four innings, taking the loss (7R, 4ER, 4H, 6BB, 6K, HB). Grant did one inning of relief work (4R, 2 ER, 2H, 2BB).

Freshman Wade Berryhill was Yreka’s contribution to the All-Tourney team.

The Miners are 5-7 this season and will play at Hidden Valley on March 18, at 4:30 pm.