BVarsity Live

06/02/2024

With a four-run lead and nine outs left from its first regional baseball title, No. 2 Bakersfield Christian was primed to close out a dominant performance against top-seeded Bellflower-St. John Bosco on Saturday night.

But a cruel turn of events flipped things on its head in an otherwise magical season for the Eagles.

The Braves rallied with a run in the bottom of the fifth, scored three more in the sixth and finished things off with the winning run scoring on a controversial balk call in St. John Bosco’s 5-4 victory in the Southern California Regional Division-III title game.

With a four-run lead and nine outs left from its first regional baseball title, No. 2 Bakersfield Christian was primed to close out a dominant performance against top-seeded Bellflower-St. John

06/02/2024

The list of Liberty's heroes is about as long as the Patriots' baseball team’s roster.

An incredible cast of characters, all fusing together as one as part of an unbelievable run of 20-straight victories that featured a South Yosemite River League title, the program’s first Central Section crown and culminated with a Southern California Regional Division-II championship on Saturday evening.

The fantastic finale of high emotions started with the top-seeded Patriots trailing visiting Moorpark by four runs with one out in the seventh, picked up energy with an improbable three-run home run to tie the game and reaching a frenetic pitch with a heart-stopping base hit to win it in the 10th inning, capping a magical season with a 6-5 victory over the No. 3 Musketeers in front of a packed house at Liberty Field.

The list of Liberty's heroes is about as long as the Patriots' baseball team’s roster.

06/02/2024

No. 8 Chavez scored two runs in the top of the ninth and then held on for an 8-6 victory over No. 2 Azusa at Azusa Pacific University in Saturday's

05/31/2024

Don’t let the relatively pristine uniform fool you, as one opposing player said it best, Bakersfield Christian pitcher Mason Brassfield “was filthy” on Thursday afternoon.

The No. 2 Eagles standout left-hander shook off a rough start, by his lofty standards, and thoroughly dominated No. 3 San Diego-Point Loma’s lineup before tiring in the seventh.

In likely his last high school game on the mound, Brassfield came within one out of a complete game, limiting the Pointers to a run on five hits, striking out 12 to push BCHS to a 3-1 victory and into its second straight Southern California Regional Division-III baseball title game.

Don’t let the relatively pristine uniform fool you, as one opposing player said it best, Bakersfield Christian pitcher Mason Brassfield “was filthy” on Thursday afternoon.

05/31/2024

SHAFTER — It’s one thing to ready oneself for the palpable excitement around a rivalry game against a league rival in the state playoffs.

It’s whole new ballgame when it actually comes to fruition.

Chavez baseball coach Scott Neal has been coaching the Titans for 16 seasons over a span of 20 years and has three Central Section titles under his regime.

But a road game at a league rival in the CIF Southern California Division V regional semifinals is a different kind of excitement.

With a standing room-only crowd sprawling down both foul lines, the Titans defeated Shafter 4-2 in eight innings Thursday in a game that felt like a heavyweight boxing match with each community hanging on every pitch.

SHAFTER — It’s one thing to ready oneself for the palpable excitement around a rivalry game against a league rival in the state playoffs.

05/31/2024

There’s a good reason Liberty baseball coach Tony Mills has so much confidence in Brock Thompson’s ability to come through in the clutch.

The senior standout shortstop/pitcher demonstrated exactly why in the eighth inning of the Patriots' CIF SoCal Regional Division II semifinal game against visiting Poway on Thursday.

After entering as a relief pitcher and escaping a one-out, bases-loaded jam by striking out two batters to end the threat, Thompson drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom half of the inning to push his team to a dramatic 4-3 win.

There’s a good reason Liberty baseball coach Tony Mills has so much confidence in Brock Thompson’s ability to come through in the clutch.

05/31/2024

Talk about a perfect storm. It's been more like a tornado the last few weeks, as Kern County’s remaining baseball and softball teams continue to blow away the competition.

On the heels of four baseball and one softball Central Section titles last weekend, the five champions all won their opening game of the Southern California Regional playoffs on Tuesday, advancing to Thursday’s semifinals.

Talk about a perfect storm. It's been more like a tornado the last few weeks, as Kern County’s remaining baseball and softball teams continue to blow away the competition.

05/31/2024

The last time Liberty’s Chance Gerecke stepped on a mound, things didn't go as well as he had hoped.

On Saturday, the junior right-hander gave up six runs in three innings and exited with his team trailing 6-4 in the Central Section Division-I title game in Visalia.

The Patriots rallied for the win, giving Gerecke a chance at redemption just 72 hours later Tuesday when the team took the field in the opener at home in the Southern California Regional D-II playoffs.

And Gerecke made the most of his second chance, mitigating damages with a gritty five innings. He was also 2 for 4 with a two-run home run and three RBIs in what turned into a lopsided 14-5 victory over No. 8 Westlake Village-Westlake at Liberty.

The last time Liberty’s Chance Gerecke stepped on a mound, things didn't go as well as he had hoped.

05/31/2024

At this point it’s almost expected that the Bakersfield Christian softball team is going to win every time it takes the field.

The only questions are how the game will play out and the final score.

The Eagles continued their season-long hot streak Tuesday by edging visiting Porterville-Monache 3-2 in the first round of the Southern California Regional Division III playoffs.

At this point it’s almost expected that the Bakersfield Christian softball team is going to win every time it takes the field.

05/31/2024

Bakersfield Christian standout McCoy Silicz said he felt comfortable long before delivering the first pitch for the Eagles in Tuesday's playoff game.

Hard to fathom that he could have envisioned his performance as the second-seeded and host Eagles defeated No. 7 Palm Desert 11-1 in five innings in the opening round of the CIF Southern California Division III regional playoffs.

Bakersfield Christian standout McCoy Silicz said he felt comfortable long before delivering the first pitch for the Eagles in Tuesday's playoff game.

05/27/2024

A jammed-packed postseason of Kern County high school baseball and softball will continue this week when the Southern California Regionals playoffs begin Tuesday.

Section baseball champions Liberty, Bakersfield Christian, Shafter and Chavez will be joined by softball-champion BCHS for first-round play. All games are slated to start at 4 p.m.

A jammed-packed postseason of Kern County high school baseball and softball will continue this week when the Southern California Regionals playoffs begin Tuesday.

05/27/2024

VISALIA — With trophy in hand, the Liberty baseball team couldn’t contain itself any longer, celebrating in unison across all corners of Valley Strong Ballpark Saturday night.

It was the culmination of an amazing night as Patriots channeled that collective energy into an unbelievable turnaround, capped by the program’s first Central Section championship in school history.

VISALIA — With trophy in hand, the Liberty baseball team couldn’t contain itself any longer, celebrating in unison across all corners of Valley Strong Ballpark Saturday night.

05/27/2024

VISALIA — It wasn’t the ending that Chavez baseball coach Scott Neal anticipated, but the 16-year coach will take it nonetheless.

05/27/2024

VISALIA — The Independence baseball team certainly deserved better.

But in the end, in a close game where every mistake is magnified, the Falcons’ chance at the program’s first Central Section title fell short with a series of missed opportunities.

And defending Division-IV champion Madera-Liberty made the most of it.

VISALIA — The Independence baseball team certainly deserved better.

05/27/2024

VISALIA — Just when you thought Bakersfield Christian was going to roll to its second straight Central Section baseball title, the Eagles’ Division-II opponent Atascadero went and made things interesting with a seventh-inning rally.

As it turned out, the Greyhounds’ comeback attempt served to only delay the inevitable.

With the tying run at the plate, BCHS sophomore right-hander Cale Nielson got the final two outs to complete what had been a dominant performance from star teammate Mason Brassfield, closing out a 4-2 Eagles’ victory for the program’s third section title in four years.

VISALIA — Just when you thought Bakersfield Christian was going to roll to its second straight Central Section baseball title, the Eagles’ Division-II opponent Atascadero went and made things interesting

05/27/2024

VISALIA — Ninety-six years in the making, the Shafter baseball team finally got its Central Section championship.

Senior Matteo Martinez tossed a complete-game 3-hitter, striking out six, and the Generals dominated all facets of its first final since 1991, frustrating top-seeded Madera-Matilda Torres in a decisive 8-0 victory in the Division-V final on Friday night at Valley Strong Ballpark.

VISALIA — Ninety-six years in the making, the Shafter baseball team finally got its Central Section championship.

05/27/2024

With the school year winding down, the spring high school sports season is making one last push in what promises to be a busy weekend of track and field, baseball and softball for Kern County schools.

Five baseball teams, two softball teams and 19 track and field athletes will all be in action during a 30-hour stretch at venues in Clovis, Fresno and Visalia.

With the school year winding down, the spring high school sports season is making one last push in what promises to be a busy weekend of track and field, baseball

05/27/2024

Tuesday’s Central Section Division II baseball semifinal between Lemoore and Bakersfield Christian reaffirmed that the Eagles have more than one pitching ace.

While major league prospect and Texas Christian University commit Mason Brassfield was forced to rest his dynamic left arm and play center field, BCHS sophomore McCoy Silicz took to the mound and shut down the visiting Tigers in a 5-1 victory.

Tuesday’s Central Section Division II baseball semifinal between Lemoore and Bakersfield Christian reaffirmed that the Eagles have more than one pitching ace.

05/27/2024

With a spot in their second Central Section Division-I baseball final in four years on the line, Liberty tripled its efforts against visiting Clovis North on Tuesday.

The Patriots broke a scoreless tie with three straight two-out home runs in the third inning and then added three more runs in each of the next two innings to pull away for a 9-1 victory over the No. 11 Broncos.

With a spot in their second Central Section Division-I baseball final in four years on the line, Liberty tripled its efforts against visiting Clovis North on Tuesday.

05/27/2024

As we head into the final week of the Central Section baseball playoffs, six teams are still alive heading into Tuesday’s semifinal matchups.

05/27/2024

Not this time. There was no way the Liberty High School baseball team was going to go out in the playoffs for the third straight year at the hands of longtime rival Stockdale.

A focused and determined Patriots squad proved it was too good to let that happen by beating the visiting Mustangs 8-1 Thursday in CIF Central Section Division I quarterfinals on Thursday at Liberty.

Not this time. There was no way the Liberty High School baseball team was going to go out in the playoffs for the third straight year at the hands of

05/27/2024

SHAFTER — In a rivalry that runs as deep as any around, it was fitting that Thursday’s Shafter-Wasco baseball game went down to the wire.

With a spot in the Central Section Division V semifinals hanging in the balance, Matteo Martinez got the final two outs with the tying run at the plate, and the host Generals held off the Tigers for a 3-1 victory.

SHAFTER — In a rivalry that runs as deep as any around, it was fitting that Thursday’s Shafter-Wasco baseball game went down to the wire.

05/27/2024

After a busy opening day of the Central Section baseball playoffs, 16 Kern County teams advanced to today's quarterfinals, which will feature several intriguing matchups.

Area teams went 6-0 in the top two divisions, with all five South Yosemite River League teams posting wins. The South Yosemite Valley and South Sequoia leagues are also well-represented, combining to go 7-2 on Tuesday.

When the dust settled, a handful of local teams earned the right to play each other today for a right to play in next week’s semifinals.

After a busy opening day of the Central Section baseball playoffs, 16 Kern County teams advanced to today's quarterfinals, which will feature several intriguing matchups.

05/27/2024

Despite Liberty earning the No. 2 seed for the CIF Central Section Division I baseball playoffs, Patriots coach Tony Mills knew his team wasn’t given an easy first-round matchup against No. 15 Tulare Western.

Armed with UCLA signee Justin Cuellar, the Mustangs were nearly unbeatable when he pitched this season, and that’s whom Liberty had to face Tuesday.

As things turned out, Cuellar was as good as advertised, but the Patriots once again showed the determination and competitiveness that makes them a serious contender to win a section championship by rallying to beat Western 3-2 on a bases-loaded walk to Davis Goodwin in the seventh inning.

Despite Liberty earning the No. 2 seed for the CIF Central Section Division I baseball playoffs, Patriots coach Tony Mills knew his team wasn’t given an easy first-round matchup against

05/27/2024

High school baseball

05/27/2024

The theme of the day was second chances on Tuesday afternoon at Frontier, and Liberty senior Caden Churchman made the most of his.

The extra opportunity came in the top of the fifth, four innings after Churchman blasted an apparent two-run homer over the left-field fence.

The initial round-tripper was nullified when umpires ruled Titans starter Brady Durkan had balked prior to the ill-fated pitch. According to high school rules, the pitch doesn't count, all runners advance one base and the batter is returned to the box. Churchman was notified of this call about the time he reached second base on his home run trot.

But with his team trailing 2-1, the Patriots’ designated hitter did one better in the fifth when it mattered most, launching a 1-0 offering from Durkan over the fence for a grand slam, sparking Liberty to a 6-4 victory that clinched the South Yosemite River League championship.

The theme of the day was second chances on Tuesday afternoon at Frontier, and Liberty senior Caden Churchman made the most of his.

05/27/2024

Any time a pitcher gets as many hits as he allows it usually turns out to be a good day for him and his team.

That was certainly the case for Christopher Turpin and Tehachapi on Wednesday afternoon.

The standout right-hander smacked a single and a double while limiting North to just a pair of singles in the Warriors' 16-1 Southeast Yosemite Mountain League victory over the host Stars.

Any time a pitcher gets as many hits as he allows it usually turns out to be a good day for him and his team.

05/27/2024

Despite more than half a dozen major league scouts pointing radar guns at him from the stands, Bakersfield Christian's Mason Brassfield remained calm and collected while pitching against Ridgeview on Tuesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-4-inch left-hander has gotten accustomed to the attention that comes with being a high schooler who can throw 95 miles per hour.

Brassfield looked very much like a top MLB prospect versus the Wolf Pack, hurling five shutout innings in the visiting Eagles' 11-5 victory. The game wasn’t nearly as close as the final score.

Despite more than half a dozen major league scouts pointing radar guns at him from the stands, Bakersfield Christian's Mason Brassfield remained calm and collected while pitching against Ridgeview on

05/27/2024

ARVIN — Talk about having a day. Wednesday afternoon was nearly perfect for Jesus Aguilar.

Arvin High’s senior right-hander was nearly unhittable, and took a perfect game into the seventh inning, and was also 3 for 4 with two triples and five RBIs at the plate as the Bears remained unbeaten in South Yosemite Horizon League play with a 17-3 victory, handing the Lions their first SYHL loss of the year.

ARVIN — Talk about having a day. Wednesday afternoon was nearly perfect for Jesus Aguilar.

05/27/2024

The South Yosemite Valley League title isn’t likely to be decided for another eight weeks. Thursday’s slate of games was just the first of a 12-game league schedule that will finish on May 9.

But however small a step it signified, Independence’s 10-4 victory over visiting Highland in the SYVL opener was definitely a move in the right direction.

The South Yosemite Valley League title isn’t likely to be decided for another eight weeks. Thursday’s slate of games was just the first of a 12-game league schedule that will