With the playoffs on the horizon, the Pioneer High School varsity baseball team enjoyed some late-season fun, as they celebrated senior night in style by defeating Monticello Empire League foes Sacramento 15-1 Thursday evening at Rotary Field.

Four runs in the bottom of the first, one in the bottom of the second, a towering grand slam from senior Jack Cullison in the bottom of the third and five more insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth led the way as the Patriots managed to wrap up their second-to-last home game in a tidy five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

“It’s been a fun year, not knowing what to expect in the new league, but these guys really stepped up today,” Patriots head coach Craig Marquez said. “But our mentality is to play baseball the way we play baseball, and the end result will take care of itself. It doesn’t matter who we play, and our team takes that to heart.”

With the win, the Patritos (13-8, 8-2 MEL) managed to tie Vacaville for first place in the MEL, while staying one game up on third-place Rodriguez. Not bad for a league debut.

“It’s one of those things that winning breeds winning,” Marquez said. “They have instilled a culture in the program that we don’t lose. They come out and want to compete and win every game.”

Pioneer came into the game in good form, having split the season series with Vacaville last week, trading off road wins, and then defeating Sacramento 20-0 this past Tuesday.

Cullison led the way at the plate with a home run in that game as well, scoring 2 runs and picking up 2 hits. Sophomore Eddie Gill racked up 5 RBI, doubling and tripling, along with scoring a run. Senior Jack Selfridge tied Cullison and Gill with a game-high 3 hits to go with his 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Sammy Sanchez had a double, to go with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, while fellow senior Drew Van Court managed to score 2.

On the mound, Maverick Gill, Joe Mendez and Jaden Hernandez combined for four innings, allowing no hits and striking out a combined 8 batters.

Before Thursday’s offensive outburst, the school took time to celebrate all seven seniors on the squad, including Drew Van Court, Acevedo Braulio, Jack Selfridge, Landon Dahler, Sammy Sanchez, Jack Cullison and Noah Keys.

“These seniors, especially the ones who have been on varsity for four or three years, have done a lot of winning in that time,” Marquez said. “It’s a testament to them and their hard work. They are a great group of friends, and they enjoy being out here together. Whatever their role is, they all have a smile on their face.”

Pioneer raced out to a 4-0 lead courtesy of a Van Court ground rule double that just missed being a home run to score a runner and make it 2-0. THeyd go on to add two more runs in the bottom of the first and then another in the bottom of the second to go up 5-0.

In the third inning, the fireworks really popped off. Keys led things off by scoring on a passed ball to make it 6-0 before Braulio, junior Easton Medina, and sophomore Santos Bermudez all scored on a Cullison grand slam to left field, making it 10-0.

Sacramento managed to get one back in the top of the fourth inning and make it 10-1 after getting a liner past the third baseman, allowing their baserunner to score from second base.

In the bottom of the fourth, however, a single from Bermudez would score Medina and restore the 10-run lead at 11-1. Following a double from Van Court to score Cullison and make it 12-1, the Patriots would go on to score the game’s final 3 runs before coming out and slamming the door shut on their visitors in the top of the fifth.

Up next for the Patriots will be one final MEL series against River City, who sit in fourth place in the league, clinging to the final playoff berth. The first game of the series is set for a home game on Tuesday, April 22, before the regular season’s final road trip back to River City on Thursday, April 24.

After that, the playoffs await the Patriots.

“The season is in our hands,” Marquez said. “ We need to win our next two games for seeding purposes. If you go out and win those two, you can get a higher seed and even earn a home game. I want us to keep playing the way we have been playing.”