"I am really grateful we have really good pitchers because it makes life behind the plate really easy," said CVFH catcher and one of the team's best hitters Cailen Rodriguez, who was eight for 10 with four runs batted in and five runs in the Section 2 tournament. "They throw pretty fast and they have some great pitches."
Thayer's used the depth strategically. He's relied on his starting pitcher for the first four innings, which keeps them eligible for the next game under Little League rules, before turning to the steady Alatraca to close out the final three innings.
"That's a good tactic to take at any level," Thayer said. "You give a team two different looks in the same game because when you go through a lineup once or twice you start to pick up on a pitcher's tendencies as a hitter."
