So far, a move into the Monticello Empire League has had no ill effects on the Pioneer High School varsity baseball team as they improved to a perfect 5-0 in league play following an 11-1 home win over Wood on Tuesday afternoon.

The significant shift into a new setting hasn’t changed any of the Patriots’ (9-4, 5-0 MEL) yearly goals that include winning whatever league they play in and making a run in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.

Before the 11-1 five-inning combined no-hitter, the Patriots came in hot thanks to two series sweeps in the second and third weeks of March over new foes Vanden and Rodriguez.

Outside of the MEL, wins this year include a 4-1 win over Stagg this past Friday, a 3-2 victory over Laguna Creek on March 6, a 7-4 triumph over Winters on March 4, and an 11-0 tournament win over Downey on Feb. 28.

The four losses include a 9-4 season opener to Inderkum back on Feb. 12, a 3-1 loss to old league foes Casa Roble on Feb. 20, and tournament losses to East Union and Spanish Springs by the scores of 10-1 and 2-1.

“It’s fun when you know you are going to see quality arms in every series,” Patriots head coach Craig Marquez said. “It keeps you focused on every game and every at bat. We have seen some really good arms in the first few weeks of the league, and for our guys to respond the way they have and put up runs in all three series shows their work ethic and what they get done during practice.”

The senior trident of Landon Dahler, Jack Cullison and Drew Van Court has pierced its way through opposing pitching staffs in the early part of the season.

Before Tuesday’s game, Cullison led the team in HR (1) and RBI (9), was second in hits (14) and third in runs scored (7). Dahler was second in runs scored (10), third in hits (11), and third in RBI (7), while Van Court sat second in the team in RBI (7), and fourth in hits (10).

Sophomore Santos Bermudez has also made his mark on the team, leading the way in hits (16) and runs (11) while being tied for third in RBI (5).

On the mound, seniors Sammy Sanchez and Van Court have led the way, with Sanchez pitching a team-high 20.1 innings and racking up 23 strikeouts, while Van Court has pitched 11 innings, striking out an insane 20 batters.

On Tuesday, Sanchez pitched four strong innings, allowing no hits before junior Joe Mendez came in to slam the door shut, striking out two and wrapping up the no-hitter.

“Sammy fought through it today,” Marquez said. “He’s been great all year, but this was probably his weakest start as far as just throwing his pitches where he wants them, but then you look up after the game, and he didn’t give up a hit. Good pitchers like him find a way to win even when they don’t have their good stuff. I’m proud of him.”

Wood raced out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Patriots made up for the lack of runs in the first inning by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the second inning, highlighted by five straight hits, to make it 7-1.

In the bottom of the third, the Patriots added another four runs for good measure and activated the 10-run mercy rule, going up 11-1.

After Pioneer sophomore Eddie Gill was hit by a pitch to load the bases, junior Cisco Quintana came up to smack a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Selfridge from third base and making it 8-1.

Dahler would walk to re-load the bases before Santos Bermudez practiced a bit more small-ball with a sacrifice fly to score junior Jordan Constancio and make it 9-1.

Following a Cullison walk, Van Court stepped up with the bases juiced and drove in two more runs on a single, scoring Dahler and Gill to make it 11-1 and give the home side a window to end the game early.

“I liked the at bats in the second and third inning,” Marquez recalled. “It was just a hard hit after hard hit after hard hit. It was pretty fun to watch us put up a crooked number (7) up there.”

Following one more shutout inning from Sanchez and another slightly stressful final shutout inning from Mendez, the Patriots raced off the diamond with another league win.

Pioneer will enjoy a non-league tune-up on the road against Central Catholic on Wednesday before they resume MEL play on Thursday with a road game at Wood for the second and final game of the series. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

“I just want to see more of the same,” Marquez said. “Tighten up little things on defense and eliminate the errors. As far as on the offensive side, we need to execute a little bit more on when we need to get a runner over or in. Other than that, we are playing some good baseball, and I hope it continues.”