Yuma High Outlaws Split Season-Opening Doubleheader Against Merino

Reyli Trejo's double to center broke a scoreless tie in the third inning of the opener, but Merino answered with a four-run fifth and handed the Outlaws a 6-3 loss before Yuma stormed back to take the nightcap 11-6 at a windswept Outlaws Lair, splitting the season's first doubleheader.

Trejo got Yuma on the board first in Game 1 when his third-inning double set up a run scored on Merino's misplay of Stevie Seward's grounder. That 1-0 lead held until Merino erupted for four runs in the top of the fifth on three walks, two singles and a double, and ultimately extended the advantage to 6-1 before the Outlaws closed to 6-3. Trejo finished the opener with two doubles and two runs scored. Seward added a double, one RBI and one run, while Duarte contributed one hit and one RBI. Lennox Huwa, Kallweit and Christian Thomson each had one hit.

The nightcap started differently. Jose Mario Ross scored on a bases-loaded walk in the first inning to put Yuma ahead, and Thomson's double scored Kallweit in the second to push the lead to 2-0. Merino trimmed it to 2-1 with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but that would be the last moment of doubt for the Outlaws.

Yuma's bats broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with a seven-run outburst. Singles by Thomson and Rodriguez scored Kallweit and Pensado. Thomson then scored on a wild pitch. Trejo followed with a two-run double that drove in Ross and Huwa, and the inning ended with Wario launching a two-run home run to left field with Trejo on base. Yuma pushed the lead to 11-3 before Merino added three runs in the top of the seventh for the 11-6 final.

The Outlaws host Caliche on Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in a varsity/JV doubleheader at the Outlaws Lair.