Two games, two shutouts, two wins to start the Trans-Valley League campaign.

Escalon’s JV baseball team easily handled Riverbank, traveling to face off against the JV Bruins on Tuesday, April 6 and hosting the team on Thursday, April 7.

“Tuesday we won 17-0, Colton Lowney had 11 strikeouts in five innings pitched, he threw a no-hitter,” said head coach Ken Baptista. “Paul Ayala went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, Tanner McCrary was 2-for-3 with an RBI.”

Baptista said with 17 runs, the JV squad got contributions from all players, with everyone getting in and most getting at least one hit on the afternoon.

Thursday, the JV team came home and hosted the Bruins, with that game also a shutout win, a lopsided 20-0 victory in a game that went just five innings.

Ayala got the start, going four innings, allowing just one hit and striking out 11. Coming on to close it out, getting in an inning of work, was Anthony LaRossa.

“The game was highlighted by a Paul Ayala grand slam, he was 3-for-4 with six RBIs,” explained Baptista. “At first I was trying to hold him up because of the score but then, I thought, I can’t take a grand slam away from him.”

Ayala did the job on the mound and at the plate, leading a strong JV effort up and down the line up.

“Lowney was 3-for-3 with four runs scored and an RBI,” Baptista added. “Everybody had a hit.”

The coach said he anticipated a tougher opponent in Riverbank but his JV Cougars seemed to have the Bruins’ number and swept to the TVL-opening wins.

Action this week has the JV team headed out to Ripon on Thursday, April 14. They were scheduled to host the Indians on Tuesday, April 12 after The Times went to press.