British Columbia won one of two games in Santa Clarita, CA, and Oregon Tech got a split at Antelope Valley.
British Columbia 10, Providence Christian 8. Trent Lenihan hit two home runs, and both of them were important ones in this game. The first one, a two-run shot in the top of the third inning, tied the game after the Sea Beggars took an early 3-1 lead. The second one, a solo home run in the top of the eighth, was the winning run. In between, the Thunderbirds scored five runs in the top of the fourth, on an RBI double by Lenihan, a sacrifice fly by Mitchell Middlemiss, an RBI single by Jaden Lamothe, and an RBI double by Kellen Bourne, who then scored on a wild pitch. The Thunderbirds led 8-3 at that point. The Sea Beggars scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and one in the bottom of the eighth, so the Thunderbirds led 10-6 going into the ninth. Things got a bit interesting in the bottom of the ninth. Graham Seltzer started the inning on the mound, and recorded a ground out and a strikeout. The Sea Beggars scored a run on an RBI single, and another one on a error, and the Thunderbirds’ lead was down to two runs, and the tying run was at the plate. They brought in Evan Hoegler to get that final out. Hoegler walked the first batter he faced, then balked the baserunners to second and third. However, he got the next batter to fly out, and that was the ball game.
Daniel Orfaly started for the Thunderbirds, went five innings, allowed three runs on five hits, struck out four. Oliver Duthie pitched the next three innings, allowed two earned runs on two hits, struck out six. Lenihan was 4-for-5 with the two home runs, a double, and four RBI. Elijah de Guzman finished 2-for-5 with a home run for the Sea Beggars; Michael Carreon got the loss.
The Master’s 5, British Columbia 4. The Mustangs led 1-0 after six innings. Starter Ryan Beitel pitched the first five innings, and was excellent, allowed that run on four hits, struck out 11. The Thunderbirds took the lead for the first time with a two-run home run by David Draayers in the top of the seventh. The Mustangs tied it with an RBI single by Ryan Mathiesen in the bottom of the seventh, off Vicarte Domingo. The Thunderbirds took a 4-2 lead in the top of the eighth with a two-RBI single by Mitchell Middlemiss. It didn’t hold up. Adam Khan took the mound at the start of the bottom of the eighth, and it did not go well. The first batter he faced, Conor Christiansen, hit a home run. He hit the next batter, who went to second on a ground out. A single put runners on first and second, and they stole second and third. The next batter, Tommy Gwinn, bunted. Khan couldn’t handle the bunt; the tying run scored, there were runners at first and third, and only one out. Will Anderson came in to pitch, and was greeted with an single by Austin Young, scoring the winning run. It could have been worse; Anderson picked off the runner on third, and struck out Mathiesen to get out of the inning.
The Mustangs then used the same strategy as yesterday; moved Mathiesen to the mound. This time, it was successful. Draayers hit a single with one out, but Kellen Bourne flied out and Kaden Zarowny struck out to end it. Gage Webster, who pitched part of the eighth inning, got the win. Khan got the loss. Middlemiss finished 2-for-3 with the double and two RBI. Cason Brownell finished 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Mustangs.
Antelope Valley 6, Oregon Tech 3. The game was tied 2-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Hustlin’ Owls’ first run was scored by Korrey Siracusa in the top of the first on an error, the second on a home run by Alonzo Vergara in the top of the seventh. However, the Pioneers got to starter Patrick Arman with a pinch-hit two-RBI double by Balas Buckmaster for the winning run. Arman was relieved by Landon Cheney, who gave up an RBI double and an RBI double for the insurance runs. The Owls got one back in the top of the eighth with a home run by Julien Jones. Vergara led off with a single in the top of the ninth, but didn’t get any further than second base.
Arman was charged with five runs on seven hits, struck out three. Pioneer starter Tyler Deyoung went seven innings, allowed one earned run on five hits, struck out seven. Siracusa and Vergara each had two hits. Noah Blythe went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, and two RBI for the Pioneers.
Oregon Tech 4, Antelope Valley 0. Bronson Chapple pitched a seven inning one-hit shutout, struck out eight, walked only one batter. The Pioneers’ only hit didn’t happen until two out in the sixth inning. Julien Jones got the only run the Hustlin’ Owls needed in the second inning. He hit a triple, then went home on an error. Jones also scored the second run of the game in the fourth inning; again, came home on an error. Patrick Barry added a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, and Tyler Horner completed the scoring with a home run in the seventh.
Caleb Ruiz got the loss for the Pioneers, also went the seven-inning distance, allowed seven hits and only two earned runs. Jones finished 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored.
An additional story: Northwest Nazarene sweeps double-header at College of Idaho
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