With depleted numbers, the Morgan Hill Mudcats dropped a doubleheader to the San Jose Rednecks on Sunday, falling 12-7 in the first game and 13-7 in the nightcap.
The sweep dropped the Mudcats to 4-4 in Western Baseball Association play.
Half of Morgan Hill's roster was missing, including five starting fielders and one starting pitcher.
In Game 1, the Mudcats got much-needed help, though, from backup catcher Richie Valencia and pitcher Matt Madeiros, who filled in at shortstop. Valencia provided an RBI while batting 2 for 3 and connected with Morgan Hill second baseman James Molina to toss out a potential base-stealer. Filling in for starter Jordan Newton, who's batting .524 this season, Madeiros collected three hits and was sound defensively.
Right fielder Scott Perkins clubbed a two-run double in the third inning to pull the Mudcats within two at 7-5, but the host Rednecks later pushed ahead.
Morgan Hill first baseman Matt Morgan was 4-for-5 batting and 5 for 7 with a walk on the day. His season averaged climbed to .432. Molina, a .333 hitter, batted 3 for 6 on the day.
The Mudcats' Matt Brotherton (0-2) took the loss in his second start of the year. In the sixth inning, he was lifted for K.C. Burns who worked four strong innings despite giving up a two-run home run in the eighth.
In the second game, Morgan Hill jumped ahead in the first inning when Jose Avila drew a walk, stole second and scored on a single by Morgan. The Rednecks countered in the bottom half, though, with four straight hits and four runs.
Avila smacked a two-run homer in the second inning to cut San Jose's lead to 4-3, but the Rednecks put another run across off Burns (1-3) in the bottom half. The Mudcats pulled even at 5-5 in the third when Brotherton scored Kenny Dirubio on a sacrifice fly. It was the closest Morgan Hill would come to retaking the lead.
San Jose tallied five consecutive singles and four more runs to go ahead 9-5 in the fourth inning. Avila came in for Burns in the fifth and was greeted with back-to-back home runs. The second, a 380-foot solo shot to left-center field, was part of four runs allowed by Avila.
The Mudcats return home this weekend to host a twin bill against Alameda at Live Oak's Sarich Field. Game 1 begins at 11:30 a.m.
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