TUCSON, AZ – It was yet another memorable game for the Kino Kokopellis, who shut out the Calsetines for their fourth consecutive win. The bats, pitching and defense were all clicking, as well as the vibes. Before the game started, Marcus Catalano texted me and said, “I feel good about today.” I’d say those feelings pre-game were very spot on. Jojo Escarcega also mentioned how the guys were all able to let loose, joke around and lock in when it mattered. The Kino Kokopellis aren’t simply winning these games; they are building a true team culture where everyone feels welcome.
Kino’s Offense Was Relentless
The Kino Kokopellis offense has continued to find ways to just score runs, which is helping them completely overwhelm teams. In just four games, the Kino Kokopellis have scored an outstanding 57 runs, including 60 hits, 15 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs. They’ve combined for a total of 48 RBI’s and 37 walks. That just shows a fraction of the type of baseball that the Kokopellis have been playing, and not just in this game alone.
The Kokopellis, through 190 plate appearances, are carrying a slash of .417/.547/.590 with an OPS of 1.138. We can’t forget to mention the very low 22% strikeout percentage as well. The Kokopellis have a .881 BB/K rate, which is walks per strikeouts. It’s been an incredible offensive season up to this point for the Kokopellis, and this game was no different.
Through just seven innings of work, the Kokopellis were able to put together a 23-hit performance, with 18 RBI’s, 8 walks, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 6 stolen bases, 66 total bases, and 20 runs scored. It was an incredible day of offense, and it felt like everyone was able to keep the chain going when it mattered most. A total of eight players were able to walk away from Sunday’s game with multi-hit games, multi-walk games, or, in some cases, even both.
The Kokopellis are also finding ways to keep pressure even when on the basepaths. Two of four games played have featured 4 or more stolen bases. In total, the Kokopellis have 12 stolen bases through 4 games, which is averaging about three per game.
Kino has everything that makes a perfect offense: patience, good contact, power, speed and teammates ready to cheer on their boys. This is exactly what’s needed to make everything work just right, and for the Kokopellis, that’s exactly what’s been happening in the month of August.
Diego Kisner and Siwo Garcia Shut Out Calsetines
While the offense may have stolen most of the headlines, it was the pitching staff who helped the offense feel more comfortable at the plate, and vice versa. Diego Kisner worked through six innings, only allowing six hits, zero runs, zero walks and eight strikeouts. Siwo Garcia came in to shut the door on the Calsetines and any thought of breaking the shutout.
Kisner managed to consistently work ahead in counts, with both Garcia and Kisner walking away with minimal damage done and high efficiency. Siwo was able to strike out two batters in only one inning of work, for a combined 10 strikeouts on the day for the pitching staff.
Kisner was able to consistently find the zone and managed to walk away with a 70.9% strike rate through 79 pitches, consistently forcing the Calsetines into very weak contact. Not a single Calsetines batter ever touched second base from a hit at any point during the game. “I had way more control on the mound and things were going my way today,” Kisner told Bear Sports News after his 8-strikeout day.
It was an amazing day for the pitching staff, who were able to help the Kokopellis add on to their run differential and bring the team’s total ERA down. The Kino Kokopellis pitching staff has found its rhythm and is more than ready to mow batters down as the season goes on.
Fun stat: The Kino Kokpellis haven’t allowed a run since the sixth inning of the Sidewinders game last week. Devin Alvarez, Siwo Garcia and Diego Kisner are the men responsible for this stretch and have a combined 17 strikeouts through nine innings of work, only allowing 4 walks and 7 hits through this time.
Kokopellis React to Dominant Performances
This game had plenty of memorable performances on both sides of the field. We got an opportunity to catch up with all of those names and get their reactions to their games today. This has personally turned into my favorite part of my articles, being able to learn what it takes to find a groove and stay in it for 7+ innings. Today’s list includes pitchers like Diego Kisner, along with Jojo Escarcega and Michael Vasquez, who had multi-hit and multi-RBI games.
Editor’s Note: Player quotes have been lightly edited for grammar, clarity and readability while preserving the original meaning and voice of each player.
Jojo Escarcega: 5/5, 5 RBI, 2 R
“All in all, I just felt good at the plate today. I was seeing the ball well. My timing and rhythm were good, and most importantly, I was patient. Our team seemed to click this game. Guys were laughing, cracking jokes while staying focused on their approach at the dish and staying alert on defense. I was able to gain and continue momentum from all the guys in the lineup. It was a great team win.”
Diego Kisner: 3/5, 1 RBI, 3 R – 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K
“Today’s start was much better than my start from last week. I had way more control on the mound and things were going my way today. I was able to keep the ball in the zone, and my teammates were there when the ball was in play. The Kokopellis consistently scored runs and gave me a lead on the offensive side.”
Michael Vasquez: 4/5, 6 RBI, 1 R
“I’ve been struggling with finding my timing at the plate lately after being out for a couple of months, so today definitely felt like a weight was lifted. I made some adjustments and overall felt a lot more comfortable. I had some big opportunities with runners on today. Thankfully, I was able to come through for the team in those moments. We’ve been playing some good ball, and I’m just happy I was able to contribute. I’m looking forward to building off of this game and continuing to put together quality at-bats.”
Mike De La Cruz: 3/4, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
“Diego pitched a good game and got some good hits. Our defense played well, and we cut down on our errors. Jojo has been swinging the bat well, and he had a good game, hitting 5/5. Mike V. hit well and had a good game with RBI’s. All of our guys have been improving on defense and offense. It’s a privilege to be part of the Tribe and Kokopellis, and I’m just thankful I get the opportunity to be on the field and compete with these guys. Marky has done a good job putting together teams with players that have an opportunity to compete at a higher level, and Coach Martin is always there for the guys who have questions to improve their swing and for pitching. I hope my teammates keep taking advantage of the opportunity they’re getting to get their reps in and keep believing in themselves to get to the next step. It’s what the Tribe and Kokopellis is all about!”
Ruben Villaescusa: 2/2, 2 RBI, 2 BB
I had good day at the plate that day I felt good and was able to see the ball good today my approach was to be ready for fastball and adjust to the offspeed. Every at bat I working on going middle to the right side of the field.
Devin Alvarez: 2/5, 2 R
Fifth game with Kokopellis with 2+ hits or more in a game
Q: It’s your fifth straight game with the Kokopellis with multi-hits, i know you’ve said recently that patience has been paying off at the plate, but what else is working for you when you step into the box?
A: “Honestly I think it’s just been staying patient and not trying to do too much. I’ve been trusting my approach and just waiting for a good pitch to hit. The guys have been doing a good job setting the table too. Just trying to keep it simple and help the team win.”
A Statement WWWWin for Kokopellis + Whats Next
This isn’t just a win; it’s a statement win for the Kokopellis, proving to everyone that they are firing on all cylinders possible. The pitching hasn’t allowed a run in nine innings, and the offense has scored 40 runs in just 14 innings of work. These are numbers that fans dream of, and the Kokopellis are handing them to us on a silver platter like it’s a buffet.
They continued to control all aspects of the game, whether they were on defense or on offense.
When on the bases, they create pressure, and when they score, they score in bunches. This forces teams to break into their bullpen earlier and gives the Kokopellis more opportunities to get the wins. When the offense produces, the pitching staff quickly turns every opportunity into a win. As of late, they’ve been quickly getting out of jams and letting the defense work around them. It’s been fun to see. The team is really working together and proving to the rest of the Mexican American League that they are here to play.
With four straight wins under their belt, the Kokopellis roster is not looking back. They are looking forward to their next opponent and how they can make it five straight wins. Kino already looks impossible to beat with four wins under their belt, but imagine five straight? The team chemistry is higher than ever, and players are producing at high rates. This will be the team to watch as the Mexican American League continues its season.
The Kokopellis will be back in action this weekend against the AZ Wrecking on Sunday. They are currently 1-4 and are in last place of the Mexican American League. The matchup hasn’t been confirmed by the teams, so consider keeping an eye out on the socials for a confirmed date.
The Kokopellis will more than certainly be looking to turn this game into another win, and more importantly, a fifth straight win. The bats have continued to stay alive through four, and the pitching is starting to get hot. The chemistry is starting to build higher and higher as the season progresses, and it seems like this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg.
The Kokopellis have begun their rise to the top of the Mexican American League, and we are all lucky enough to watch it.
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