Fuego 14U Battle to 2nd Place at the Back to School Bash

The Fuego Baseball 14U squad put together a strong weekend at the Back to School Bash, played August 9–10, 2025, in Morro Bay, finishing as tournament runners-up after a run that included big wins, clutch pitching, and timely hitting.

They opened pool play with a 3-1 win over BPA Central. Colin Manago set the tone on the mound, and the bullpen of Lucas Dullaghan, Jacoby Matheny, and Kale Wright kept the lead safe. Jacob Bliss drove in the first run with a single, and the defense stayed sharp without committing an error.

The bats came alive in game two with a 13-4 victory over ABR Allstars. Manago led the charge at the plate with four RBIs, while Wyatt Bothen and Jacob Gutierrez each added sacrifice flies in the first inning. A six-run sixth inning sealed it as Wright, Manago, and Bothen all delivered big hits. Parker Bunnell earned the win with solid work out of the bullpen, and Fuego ran wild with 12 stolen bases.

On Sunday, Fuego kept rolling with a 6-2 win in a rematch against BPA Central. Brig Puntanilla, Aaron Santana, Andrew Lopez, and Marcus Martinez each drove in runs during a four-run third inning that flipped the game. Matheny picked up the win with nearly three scoreless innings, and the offense collected 11 hits overall.

The championship game brought them up against the SLO Rangers. Fuego battled back from an early deficit to tie the game at 4-4 in the fourth, thanks to RBIs from Bunnell and Gutierrez. But the Rangers answered in the bottom half, pulling away late for a 7-4 win. Despite the loss, the team showed grit and kept pressure on until the final outs.

Fuego 14U left Morro Bay with a 2nd place finish at the Back to School Bash, fueled by steady pitching, aggressive baserunning, and contributions up and down the lineup. It was a strong showing and a solid step forward as the team continues to grow and take on tough competition.