With nine contests completed, the Stanislaus Cardinals Babe Ruth summer baseball team is a perfect 9-0 after back-to-back wins over Ripon and Lodi on Monday and Tuesday.
It was a rather convincing win when the Cardinals played at Ripon to take down the always tough rival squad 5-0 followed by a 13-2, 10-run rule victory over Lodi the following day.
Prior to this week's games, the Cardinals traveled to Hanford to square off against the Hanford-based Babe Ruth team to take a tight 3-0 win.
"It's one of those things where again we don't rely on one guy to do it all, every guy can pick up the team and that makes you a better team and consistent," said Stanislaus Cardinals head coach Bobby Swedberg.
Consistency has been the forte for the Cardinals as they have put up 36 runs in the last four games, averaging nine runs scored per game while allowing 1.75 runs a game in that four game span.
"It's a difficult thing to come in when you have 17-18 players, as coaches we try to figure out their roles and when to use them because everyone can contribute for us," said Swedberg. "The kids have taken advantage of their opportunities and played great and makes it easier because we will see how they can do but that's a good problem to have when you have a lot of good players."
Against Ripon, recent Turlock High graduate in Gavin Gaffaney started the game as he went five innings, struck out four and allowed no runs scored as he picked up the win for his team.
"He pitched really well, he was on it," Swedberg said about Gaffaney.
Another Turlock graduate, Tyler Murphy, went 1-for-1 for the game while Pitman High 2013 grad Brennan Hauser was 2-for-3 in that game.
On Tuesday, Mason Washington put the Cardinals on the right track in the first inning after blasting up a solo home-run that led to multiple four-run innings.
The offense remained consistent and the mercy-rule was in effect after the sixth inning concluded, giving the Cardinals their perfect nine-nil record to begin the season.
Hilmar graduate Jacob Ahid tossed up two innings and allowed the only two runs scored by Lodi in the process.
"Too many runs were scored that game. We're scoring a lot of runs, hitting the ball really well, consistent pitching, not as we would like but I feel the guys are making great adjustments," said Swedberg.
The next home game for the Cardinals will be at Turlock High in a double-header against an opponent yet to be announced at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
