The California A’s notched another win in the 2013 ISC World Tournament at Quad Cities, Iowa, with a 5-0 win over the Kegel Black Knights of Fargo, North Dakota, behind the stellar pitching of Derek Mayson and the bat of Chase Turner, who provided the only runs Mayson would need with a 2 run home run in the second inning.
The A’s are 5-1 in the tournament.
Mayson notched 12 strikeouts in the shutout, using the change-up very effectively, to keep the Fargo North Dakota lineup off balance.
Mayson dueled Fargo’s Sebastian Gervasutti into the 5th, when the A’s broke things open. California loaded the bases with nobody out, with Gervasutti giving way to reliever Gerald Muizellaar, who promptly hit Derek Mayson with a pitch, making the score 3-0. The A’s added another run on a dropped force out play by their catcher, and a sacrifice fly RBI by pinch hitter Kevin Castillo.
The A’s won their opener, but were upset in their second game, falling to the #10 ranked Circle Tap, with Circle Tap’s Robbie Schweyer throwing a no-hitter. Worse still for the A’s, they lost their ace pitcher, Argentine Lucas Mata to a shoulder injury. However, in the process, they have discovered their ace for 2013, as Derek Mayson has stepped up his game, reeling off four consecutive complete game wins, and has been very impressive. With their only other pitcher Josh Johnson nursing a groin injury, it will likely be Mayson the rest of the way for the California squad.
The A’s need one more win to make it to the Final Four, and final day of the tournament. It won’t get any easier though, as the A’s will have to get past the Jarvis Hallman Twins, who have won three consecutive ISC World Tournaments.
The game will be broadcast in live video, on the ISC Network, 4pm Central, 2pm California time.