The 2020 baseball season is upon us and the American River College Beavers got off to a great start on Friday.  Freshman Blake Yuyama (Kennedy) needed just 69 pitches to sail through 6 innings in his college debut as the Beavers took down West Valley College 10-2 in Saratoga on Friday.  A.R.C. got a couple of big run-scoring hits and a 4x5 day from sophomore Joseph Hayden (Cosumnes Oaks, pictured) to get on the board early and often to put the game away.  Sophomore RF Cole Hurtarte (Whitney) had three RBI, two on an 8^th inning double and freshman 1B Brooks Mitchell (Vista del Lago) doubled off the right center fence in the 2^nd inning.  Freshman CF Hayden Erickson (Whitney) was 2x4 with a pair of RBI on the day and sophomore DH Addison Lueras (Ponderosa) also added a pair of RBI with a two run single in the 7^th inning. 

On Saturday the Beavers had their home opener at Beaver Field but it did not go as smoothly.  Sophomore RHP Aiden Taylor struggled with command early, walking the first two hitters, then allowing a three run home run to give the Vikings an early lead.  Taylor managed to battle through some control problems, holding the Vikings to just the three runs despite walking 5 in just 4 innings of work.  Freshman RHP Brian Thomas (Ponderosa) came on in relief and was dominant for three innings but began to tire in the 8^th as he hit the leadoff batter, then allowed back-to-back singles to put West Valley back on top.  Freshman Ian Penrose (Woodland) came on and after getting an out and a sacrifice fly was almost out of the inning when the Vikings got another three run homer to pull away 8-3.

The Beavers were held scoreless until the 4^th inning when freshman C Dom Moreno (Christian Brothers) singled with two outs to score Lueras who had doubled earlier in the inning.  The Beavers tied the game in the top of the 7^th inning on a two out, two run double by Mitchell.  After A.R.C. gave up 5 runs in the top of the 8^th they roared right back scoring 4 times to keep the game close.  With two outs the Beavers got 4 straight two out, two strike hits to put the game within one.  But there would be no magic comeback and the Beavers fell 8-7. 

A.R.C. and West Valley will play the rubber match of the three game series on Tuesday in Saratoga at 2:00 p.m.