Yokuts return home as national champs

On July 16th, the Tule River Yokuts Little League All-Star baseball team traveled to Arizona to participate in the Lori Piestewa National Native American Games.

The baseball category of the games was hosted by the Salt River Pima Maricopa tribe. Tribes from across the country were on hand to participate in these games.

They played the next evening, losing the first game 11-7, to the Salt River Madhouse, in the 115-degree-plus heat. Although, they adapted to the heat, stayed positive and started to blister the ball in every direction and the bats got going in the desert.

They then won their second game of the doubleheader that night. The winning pitchers were: Sophia Carrillo, Aaron Franco and Buffalo Peyron.

In the championship game, the Yokuts again battled the Madhouse, who were the favorites after prevailing earlier in the tourney.

Temperatures were again soaring around 115 degrees, but the team was pumped, and so were the parents, who were yelling at the top of their lungs, even before the game started.

The team played inspired, the coaches worked hard to keep the kids hydrated with fluids and focus and the parents kept the coaches focused. In the end, the Yokuts got revenge, beating the Madhouse 9-6 to take home their first ever national championship.