Results tagged “Cypress High School Centurions Baseball” from Yucaipa Now

By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - For most Thunderbirds games, Yucaipa Head Coach Jeff Stout keeps Matt Davidson patrolling third base. But if the pitching falters, Stout points his big 6-foot-4 right hander toward the mound.

And that scenario played out on Tuesday in the Thunderbirds, 10-4, victory over the visiting Cypress Centurions (19-10) in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II Playoffs at Thompson Field.

Davidson made the trek from third to the pitchers mound in the top of the fourth inning in relief of starter Pedro Cota with no outs and runners on first and second. And Yucaipa clinging to a 3-2 lead. Davidson pitched out of the jam yielding but one run, and went on to finish the game allowing 1 earned run, 4 hits, 1 walk, along with 2 strikeouts.

And not to forget his bat in the #3 spot, Davidson (2-for-2) hit a monster three-run home run deep over the left-center field fence in the sixth inning to give the Thunderbirds their final three runs.

So how did Davidson who was a starting pitcher since his freshman year in 2004-'05 (10-1, 0.76 ERA, 60 strikeouts in 64.2 innings), and the Citrus Belt League's Most Valuable Player, become the team's closer in his senior season?

By simply being asked.