Once again, Tony is Rancho Cordova Athlete of the Week.

After finishing a pretty dismal season for the high school, the Lancers won the opening tournament for Summer ball. They are the exact same team but it's amazing what a difference it makes when they are facing teams much more in their age range. As you know the varsity team didn't have any seniors at all on their team and ended up only winning one game during league. During Legion ball (summer league) they basically face most of the same teams but minus the other teams graduating seniors......now their record is 8 & 1, their loss coming after 8 consecutive wins. Here is a copy of what was in the Rancho Cordova newspaper...Go Lancers! And Go Tony!!

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Callen starts 5-0, wins tourney


Jeremy Franklin picked up a pair of wins, including a complete game, nine-inning affair, for the Callen Pool Supply Jr. Legion team.
Grapevine file
- The Callen Pool Supply Jr. American Legion team, made up of players from the varsity and JV teams at Cordova High School, wasted little time putting forgettable high school seasons behind them, chalking up five wins in their first five games, taking the championship of the Kennedy Memorial Day Tournament in the process.
Callen topped El Camino, 11-1 in the season opener, then picked up wins over Kennedy, 7-6, Lodi, 5-4, McClatchy 8-6 and El Dorado, 3-2.

Rancho Cordova 11, El Camino 1
Jeremy Franklin picked up the win for Callen, striking out seven without allowing a single earned run. He also doubled and tripled on the day for Rancho Cordova, driving in three runs in the victory. Andrew Renken went 2-for-3 on the day and Matt Brooks was 2-for-2 for Rancho Cordova. Both Renken and Brooks stole a pair of bags and scored twice for Callen.
“I thought our outfield was a real key in that game,” said Callen manager Chad Parker. “It was really windy that day and Renken, Brooks and Jesse Smith all played well.”

Rancho Cordova 7, Kennedy 6
In the first of three come from behind victories, Callen Pool rallied from a 4-2 deficit with three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh during the opening round of Memorial Day Tournament action. John McCants bounced a grounder to third base in the seventh inning, which scored Brooks and, following a slight bobble, allowed Tony McDaniel to score, as well.
“I just kept him going,” said Parker. “You’ve got to try to score and win the game in that situation in the game. There was a play at the plate but Tony beat the throw.”
Chris DeCesare picked up a complete game win for Rancho Cordova, striking out seven hitters.

Rancho Cordova 5, Lodi 4
The Flames took a 4-1 lead but a three run rally in the sixth inning helped Callen Pool knot the score, thanks in great measure to Renken. Renken picked up a RBI pinch hit that drove in a pair and eventually scored the tying run for Rancho Cordova. Mike Wallace and Brooks reached in the seventh inning and McDaniel connected on a single that plated the winning run. Wallace struck out eight and allowed one earned run in the complete game win.

Rancho Cordova 8, McClatchy 6
The Capitals scored four runs in the first inning, but Callen Pool Supply rallied for four of their own in the third to take a 5-4 lead. With the score knotted after five, Rancho Cordova added a run in the sixth to take the lead once and for all.
McDaniel once again picked up the game-winning hit, driving in Smith. McDaniel picked the team out of trouble in the fifth and picked up the win in relief. Wallace added some pop to the offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run and a pair driven in.

Rancho Cordova 3, El Dorado 2
Franklin rose to the occasion once again for Callen, pitching all nine innings of an extra inning ball game, setting down 13 consecutive hitters at one point.
“He pitched really well that day,” Parker said. “His fastball was a good in the ninth inning as it was in the first.”
Rancho Cordova scored a pair of runs in the second inning when Wallace singled and Brooks followed with a home run to give Callen Pool a 2-1 lead. El Dorado, made up of players from El Dorado, Union Mine and Ponderosa High schools, tied the score and sent the game into extra innings.
In the ninth, the pitching hero, Franklin, became the hero of the offense, walking, stealing second then advancing to third. The final heroics were provided, for the fourth game in a row, by McDaniel, who crushed a ball to left, driving in Franklin.

Unfortunately the ad that names player of the week isn't available online....I will have to scan it and post that one day : )