Class A baseball: Jonathan Samuels' home run lifts Rattan to win over Pioneer

Samuels took full advantage of the chance, blasting a two-run home run — his second of the game — to lift No. 1 Rattan to a 7-6 win Friday at Palmer Field at Dolese Park.

“I was just ready to hit,” Samuels said. “I was looking for a fastball and I got one right down the middle.

“I knew it was out.”

Rattan (29-7) will play Amber-Pocasset at noon Saturday for the championship.

“All we can ask for is a chance and we've got that,” Dustin Davidson said.

The Rams have won four spring titles, the last coming in 2003.

Rattan nearly let the 5-1 lead it had built get away in the third after the first three hitters reached base before Davidson came on to pitch.

After giving up a two-run single and a sacrifice fly, Davidson kept Pioneer in check until the sixth.

The Mustangs scratched across a pair of runs in the sixth, taking the lead on a Tanner Leon's RBI double.

But Samuels blasted Derek Gabriel's 3-1 pitch over the left field wall to put Rattan back in front.

It was the second consecutive come-from-behind win for Rattan. A night earlier, the Rams scored four in the seventh to beat Caddo 5-2.

“We were surprised the first game,” Samuels said. “We went through the motions a bit but we're playing pretty well right now.”