July 1, 2018
La Mirada, CA
Ryan Smoot (VMI) drove in four two-out runs with a two-run single and a two-run double in consecutive at bats to lead the Southern California Catch to a 10-9 win over the Arroyo Seco Saints today at Biola University. With the Catch trialing 6-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, Smoot came to bat with runners on second and third and two outs, hit his two-run single and then scored when Grant Robbins (UNLV) hit an RBI-double to make the score 6-4. Then, in the fifth inning, after Omar Ortiz (Cochise College) singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a passed ball and the Catch plated another on a run-scoring error to tie the score, Smoot came to bat with two runners again in scoring position and two outs, this time driving in both with his double to put the Catch up 8-6. The Saints got within one in the top of the seventh inning when John Thomas (USC) reach on an error, advanced to third on a Mitch Kerner single and scored on a balk, but the Catch answered with a pair of runs in their half of the inning via a reached-by-error, two hit batsmen and a pair of fielder’s choices to take the lead for good. Arroyo Seco added a single run in the eighth on a Christian Moya (USC) RBI-single, and one in the ninth on a Nic Lacayo (Michigan St) solo home run to come up one short. The Saints scored first in the game when Gabe Chavez (San Bernardino) led the game off with a single, stole second and scored on a two-out RBI-single by Cooper Williams (New Mexico St), added three runs in the second inning when the first three batters reached on a hit batsman and two bunt singles, all of whom scored, and added a pair of runs in the fourth on RBI-singles by Tristan Peterson and Kerner. The Catch first scored in the third inning when Ortiz hit a two-out RBI-single. Both teams utilized six pitchers in the game. Connor Mushinski (Weatherford) who pitched an inning and a third hitless was credited with the win while Luke LaFlam (Arizona St), who was on the mound when the Catch first took the lead, was saddled with the loss.
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Elsewhere in the CCL today:
Santa Barbara, CA
Utah Jones (North Greenville) and Luke Ritter (Wichita St) each hit two-run home runs, and Conor Davis (Auburn) and Logan Allen (Arkansas-Ft. Smith) each added two-run singles to lead the Santa Barbara Foresters to a 12-6 victory over the Academy Barons today at Pershing Park. Davis’ two-run single in the fourth inning, which opened the scoring in the game, immediately preceded Jones’ home run to give Santa Barbara an early 4-0 lead. The Barons answered in their next at bat with three runs of their own, two scoring on a Trent Anderson (CSU Bakersfield) bases-loaded single and a third scoring on a balk. Ritters’ home run in the fifth inning then put the Foresters back on top by three, and, after both teams squandered prime scoring opportunities in the sixth, the Barons again got to within one when Anderson, who had tripled in the first inning as part of a three-hit game, hit a ground rule double to put runners on second and third with no outs, both of whom would score on a infield groundout and a wild pitch. Santa Barbara took the lead for good in their half of the seventh inning, getting three consecutive RBI-singles by Jones, Michael Neustifter (Oklahoma State) and Turner Gauntt (Texas), and a sacrifice fly. Desmond Gates (West LA JC) hit an RBI-single for the Barons in the top of the eighth inning, and Allen hit his two-run single in the bottom half for the Foresters to post the final 12-6 score. Davis, Jones and Anderson each finished with a game-high three hits, while Allen and Jones led all run producers with three RBI each. Erik Gutierrez (Lipscomb), the league-leader in strikeouts recorded so far this season, started on the mound for the Academy, struck out only one batter in four-plus innings and was saddled with the loss. Brett Standlee (Oklahoma State) started for Santa Barbara, struck out four in four-plus innings of work and was credited with the win.
June 30, 2018
Santa Barbara, CA
Steven Curry (Georgia Southern) hit a fly ball double with two outs in the top of the eleventh inning that was lost in the lights and scored the go-ahead run when the next batter, Chase Sebby (Ball State), hit an infield single up the middle that, initially, kept Curry from trying to score. But when an attempt was made to third base to catch Curry off the base as he rounded it, the throw got away and he scored the run that gave the Orange County Riptide a 2-1 win over the Santa Barbara Foresters tonight at Pershing Park. It was an unusual finish to a well-pitched game, as Cassius Hamm (Northridge), Brandon Ivey (Texas) and Hayden Pearce (Pacific) outdueled Caleb Sloan (TCU), Hunter Breault (Oregon) and Elliott Anderson (Auburn) in a matchup of the two leading teams in the CCL so far this season. Hamm started the game on the mound for the Riptide giving up only two hits in five innings, but did walk four batters, two of which came back to bite him in the second inning when, with one out, Cody Masters (Texas Tech) advanced the two runners into scoring position with a single and then a groundball out brought home the only Santa Barbara run of the game. Ivey relieved Hamm to start the sixth inning and pitched around two walks and one hit to record three scoreless innings before turning the pitching duties over to Pearce in the ninth. Pearce retired the first five batters he faced before giving up a single to Chase Illig (West Virgina), who had doubled earlier in the game, and then retired the final four batters in order to secure the Orange County win. Sloan started on the mound for Santa Barbara and was just as effective as Hamm, but allowed five hits, one of which was a Sebby solo home run in the second, while notching four strikeouts in five innings without allowing a walk. Breault relieved Sloan to start the sixth inning and stranded baserunners in each of the three innings he worked, none of which was as dramatic as his escape in the seventh inning. After surrendering a leadoff double to Micah Pries (Point Loma), a wild pitch that allowed Pries to advance to third and a walk to Masen Hibbeler (Texas) put runners on the corners, Breault struck out the next three batters in a row to maintain the 1-1 tie. Anderson entered the game and retired the side in order in the ninth, tenth and appeared to be on his way to doing so again in the eleventh, striking out five, when Curry’s fly ball flew above the reach of the Pershing Park lights and fell uncaught to setup the go-ahead play.
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Healdsburg, CA
Jacob Shanks (UC Riverside) hit a three-run home run to cap a five-run eighth inning as the Academy Barons overcame a 5-1 deficit to beat the Healdsburg Prune Packers 6-5 today at Recreation Park and take two of the three game series between the teams. Dominated for all the other innings of the game by the Healdsburg pitching trio of Chase Gardner (UConn), Henrik Reinertsen (Pacific) and Nick Roth (College of Marin), the Barons, after loading the bases with no outs to start the eighth inning, took advantage of a two-base error to score twice and, with two outs, capitalized on the extra at bat when Shanks cleared the bases with his three-run home run to put the Academy ahead. The Packers threatened to score in their half of the eighth inning, loading the bases with one out on a walk and two singles, but Andy Rosales (El Camino JC) entered the game in relief of Jake Binder (Ithaca College) and retired the next two batters to maintain the Academy’s lead. Anthony Nettles (Clark) then pitched a scoreless ninth for the Barons, striking out the last two batters he faced, to close out the win. Gardner started on the mound for Healdsburg and was dominant, retiring 15 of the 16 batters he faced in his five innings of work, surrendering only one hit, a second inning solo home run to Hunter Lewis (Indiana State). Likewise, Reinertsen was almost as dominant in his three innings of relief of Gardner, striking out eight of the nine outs he recorded, including each of the three outs in the eighth inning when all five runs the Barons scored were unearned, but suffered the loss. Roth struck out the side in the ninth inning to give the Healdsburg trio of pitchers a combined 17 strikeouts. The Packers scored once in the first inning on a sacrifice fly, three times in the fifth when Ryan Ruley (Loyola Marymount) led off with a double, Ben Sanderson (UC Santa Barbara) hit an RBI-double and Quentin Selma (Cal) added a two-out RBI-single, and once in the sixth when Sanderson drove in another run with a single. Sanderson and Ruley finished with a game-high three hits.
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Pasadena, CA
Cooper Williams (New Mexico St) drove in the tying run with a one-out RBI-single in the seventh inning and then scored what would prove to be the winning run on a two-out error to lead the Arroyo Seco Saints to a 4-3 win over the Southern California Catch tonight at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Trailing 2-1 heading into the seventh inning, the Saints got the tying run to second base when Christian Moya (USC) singled and advanced to second when John Thomas (USC) reached on an error. Williams then drove Moya home to tie the score and, after a wild pitch put runners on second and third with one out and an intentional walk loaded the bases to setup a possible inning-ending double-play, both Thomas and Williams scored on the second error of the inning to make the score 4-2. The Catch scored once and had the tying run in scoring position in the eighth inning after Daniel Jung (Notre Dame) led off with a walk, went first-to-third on a Hill Alexander (Dallas Baptist) single, and scored on a sacrifice fly, but Charles Peacock (Galveston JC), who entered to pitch after Alexander’s single in relief of Blake Beers (Michigan), recorded two strikeouts on either side of the sacrifice fly to hold on to the Saints lead. Joey Steele (USF) then retired the side in order in the ninth inning to close out the win. Arroyo Seco jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Drew Cowley (Cal Poly Pomona) and Bennett McCaskill (Dartmouth) hit back-to-back two-out doubles, and the Catch took the lead in the fourth inning when Alexander and Jacob Rogers (UNLV) hit consecutive singles to lead off the inning and both scored on a two-base error to make the score 2-1. Caleb Bly (Oklahoma Baptist) started on the mound for the Catch, recording six strikeouts in six innings, and JD Russomano (Corban) started for the Saints, notching three strikeouts over two innings before turning the pitching duties over to Beers who pitched the next five, allowing three runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out and walking two.
June 29, 2018
Healdsburg, CA
Ryan Shreve (Pacific) struck out five and faced the minimum 15 batters in his five innings of work, Jared Noonan (UC Riverside) struck out nine batters in four innings, and Dane Tofteland (Indiana St) and Sam Wezniak (Cal) both homered in the eighth inning to lead the Healdsburg Prune Packers to a 4-1 win over the Academy Barons in the first game of a doubleheader today at Recreation Park. Shreve’s start was as economical as it was dominant. He used only 55 pitches to complete five innings, 43 of which were strikes, and he retired nearly half of the batters he faced on three or less pitches. The only blemish of his outing was a one-out single by Christian Lucio (Eastern Kentucky) in the first inning, but Lucio was caught stealing and Shreve went on to retire the next 13 batters out in order. Noonan relieved Shreve in the sixth and turned in an impressive outing of his own, even moreso considering the first batter he faced, Bruce Martin (Stetson), welcomed him to the game with a solo home run to lead off inning and tie the score 1-1. Obviously, that didn’t sit well with Noonan. After the home run he struck out the next two batters and, when the sixth inning ended with a Barons runner, who had walked to get on base, was caught stealing, Noonan struck out three straight in the seventh, one in the eighth and three more in the ninth to close out the win. While Noonan was dominant against the Barons’ hitters, Joshua Stephens (Beaufort) was equally as effective, for a while. Entering the game in the fifth inning in relief of Academy starting pitcher Nikelle Galatas (Jackson St), who struck out six in four innings of work, Stephens retired nine straight to start his outing, one out coming when a runner was picked off third base. Things turned quickly the second time through the Healdsburg lineup, however, as Tofteland led off the eighth inning with a solo home run and, with two outs, Wezniak hit a two-run home run to post the final 4-1 score. Healdsburg scored its first run of the game in the fourth inning when the leadoff hitter reached on an error and eventually scored on Aidan Negal two-out RBI-single. Ben Sanderson (UCSB) hit a double and two singles to finish with a game-high three hits.
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La Mirada, CA
The Southern California Catch chased down the Arroyo Seco Saints, scoring unearned runs in each of their last two at bats to win 3-2 today at Biola Univeristy. Trailing for most of the game after Drew Cowley (Cal Poly Pomona) doubled and scored and John Thomas (USC) reached on an error and scored in the second inning for Arroyo Seco, the Catch took advantage of two two-out walks and a Jacob Rogers (UNLV) single to load the bases in the seventh inning and scored the tying run on an error. Then, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Jake Boone (Princeton) reached base on a fielder’s choice and, after advancing to third on a walk and a Grant Robbins (UNLV) single, scored on another error with the go-ahead run. Anthony Mayorga, who came in to pitch the ninth inning for the Catch in relief of Deylen Miley (Tiffin), who struck out four in his two innings of scoreless relief, struck out two in a scoreless ninth to secure the win. Cowley, added two singles to finish with a game-high three hits for Arroyo Seco, and Boone, Rogers and Daniel Jung (Notre Dame), two singles apiece, were the only other players with multiple-hit games. Tayt Smith (Azusa Pacific) pitched three hitless, scoreless innings for the Catch in relief of starter Hayden Jorgenson (Azusa Pacific), who went the first three, before turning the pitching duties over to Miley and Mayorga.
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Fullerton, CA
Drew Sims (Utah Valley) hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning to break a 1-1 tie, and Justin Friedman and John Vergara combined for ten strikeouts to lead the Conejo Oaks to a 5-1 win over the Orange County Riptide today a Fullerton College. With the score tied after Landon Gray (Tennessee) hit a solo home run for the Riptide in the third inning, and Tanner Wright (Cal Lu) singled and scored on a Brandon Lewis (UC Irvine) double in the fifth, Sims’ go-ahead homer followed a lead off walk to Lewis, a wild pitch that advanced Lewis to second and one-out intentional walk of Chase Cockrell (Ole Miss) that setup a potential inning-ending double play. Late in a tie-game, the intentional walk is the sensible baseball strategy. But, on the second pitch he saw, Sims thwarted that strategy and put the Oaks ahead 4-1, and, in the ninth, Elijah Alexander (Rio Grande Valley) singled and eventually scored on an error to post the final 5-1. Friedman started on the mound for Conejo and retired the first eight batters he faced in order, half via strikeouts, before Gray’s home run put the Oaks behind. For the next five-plus innings he pitched around five hits and two walks waiting on his offense to, first, tie the score and then take the lead before handing the ball to Vergara with one out in the eighth. Vergara struck out the last out of the eighth inning and struck out three more in the ninth to close out the win. Bryce Verplank (Texas) started on the mound for Orange County and pitched three-and-a-third scoreless innings with three strikeouts, and Tyler Frazier (Oregon) notched four strikeouts in two innings of scoreless relief to highlight the Riptide pitching. Lewis added two singles to go with his double to finish with a game-high three hits.
June 28, 2018
San Luis Obispo, CA
Noah Cracknell (Portland) hit a two-out, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive in two runs, break a tie ballgame and lead the San Luis Obispo Blues to a 3-2 win over the Arroyo Seco Saints tonight at Sinsheimer Park. With the score tied 1-1 after Jay Charleston (Tennessee) led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, stole second base and scored on a Justin Lutes (Pepperdine) single for San Luis, and John Thomas (USC) hit an RBI-single in the third for the Saints, the Blues mounted a rally with two outs and nobody on base in the seventh. Matt Anderson (Georgia Southern) started things with a single, advanced to third on a pair of walks and scored on Cracknell’s two-RBI single to give the Blues the lead 3-1. The Saints answered with a run in their next at bat when Jacob Jenkins (MidAm Nazarene) led off the eighth inning with a single, advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored when the next batter, Cameron Briggs (UC Davis), singled him in. And although Briggs was thrown out trying to steal second base and the next batter struck out, Arroyo Seco still had a good chance to tie the game after Nic Lacayo (Michigan St) and Mitch Kerner hit consecutive two-out singles but Cole Tucker, the fourth Blues pitcher of the game, came in to strike out the final out of the inning and the final two outs of the ninth to close out the win despite surrendering two one-out singles.
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Healdsburg, CA
Quentin Selma (Cal) hit a two-run home run, Sam Wezniak (Cal) hit a bases-clearing three-run triple and Bryan Arias (San Antonio) hit a two-run single to lead the Healdsburg Prune Packers to a 9-4 win over the Academy Barons tonight at Recreation Park. Although the score would indicate a game full off offense, almost all of the scoring took place in the last three and a half innings as the Packers broke open a 1-1 game in the bottom of the sixth inning with eight runs in their last three at bats. Selma’s home run, which followed a Cade Peters (UC Riverside) double, made the score 3-1 in the sixth and the Packers took advantage of three walks to score four times in the seventh when Selma drove one in with a single and Wezniak drove in three with his double. Four singles in the eighth inning, including Arias’ two-run hit, plated two more. Both teams struggled to get anything going offensively early as Jeff Kersten (UConn), who started on the mound for the Packers andpitched five hitless, scoreless innings with three strikeouts and allowed only two baserunners via walk and a hit batter, the first of which was erased on the bases in a double-play. Barons starting pitcher Ryan Hare (UNLV) was not as dominant as Kersten through five, but was nearly as effective, allowing only one run in the third inning when Luke Fegen (Indiana State) singled and scored on a Wendell Champion II (Houston) RBI-double. Hare was on the mound when Selma hit his home run, however, and so suffered the loss. With Kersten out of the game in the sixth inning, the Barons scored immediately when a lead off walk and a Logan Pollack (Michigan) double put two runners in scoring position and a ground ball out got their first run across. A bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning, a Trent Anderson (CSU Bakersfield) RBI-double and a run-scoring groundout in the ninth accounted for the three other Academy runs.
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Santa Barbara, CA
Michael Hobbs (St. Mary’s) struck out the first six batters he faced, seven of the first eight and nine overall in five innings, Matt Hartman struck out the first five of the six batters he faced in relief of Hobbs, and Logan Allen (Arkansas-Ft. Smith) hit a three-run home run to cap a seven-run outburst that propelled the Santa Barbara Foresters to a 9-1 win over the Southern California Catch tonight at Pershing Park. Despite the dominance of Hobbs and Hartman, the Catch were still in the game late, having scratched out a run in the third inning when David Martinez (Senior) hit a two-out RBI-single to drive in Ryan Smoot (VMI) who had doubled to lead off the inning, and briefly held a 1-0 lead until Allen doubled in Santa Barbara’s half of the third and scored on a run-scoring ground ball. The score remained 1-1 until the sixth inning when a pair of walks, an error and a wild pitched allowed the Foresters to take the lead but, in the seventh, the Foresters took over the game. Taking advantage of three walks and a hit batsmen, Santa Barbara got run-scoring singles from Luke Ritter (Wichita St), Michael Neustifter (Oklahoma State) and Ryan Cash (Oklahoma State), and then Allen hit his three-run homer to make the score 9-1. Jacob Rogers (UNLV) hit a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning to post the final 9-3 score.
June 27, 2018
Fullerton, CA
Luke Bandy (Dallas Baptist) hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, Austin Sojka (Ok Wesylan), Mason McWhorter (Georgia Southern) and Bandy drove in runs in consecutive at bats in the seventh to break open a seesaw game and lead the Orange County Riptide to a 6-3 win over the Southern California Catch today at Fullerton College. Bandy’s homer, coming with two outs and following a two-out single by McWhorter, put the Riptide on the board for the first time in the game and tied the score 2-2 after the Catch scored twice in third inning on three consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly. Orange County took its first lead in the sixth when Bandy, who had a game-high three hits, singled, advanced station-to-station on a single and a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch. In the seventh inning it was the Catch’s turn to tie the game when Skyler De Los Reyes (UC Riverside) singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly. The tie game was short lived, however, as the Riptide put two runners on base in their next at bat with a one out walk and hit batsmen and Sojka drove in the go-ahead run with a single, McWhorter hit a sacrifice fly and Bandy collected his third RBI of the game with a run-scoring single to make the score 6-3. Doug Magee and Jacob Parker (Georgia Southern) retired the Catch in order in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to secure the Orange County win.
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Headsburg, CA
The Santa Barbara Foresters swept a doubleheader against the Healdsburg Prune Packers, winning 2-0 and 7-5 today at Recreation Park.
Gavin Velasquez (Cal St Fullerton), Hunter Breault (Oregon), Elliott Anderson (Auburn) and Bryce Elder (Texas) combined to throw a four-hit shutout in the first game, recording a total of 13 strikeouts while allowing only two walks and no extra base hits. Breault had a game-high five strikeouts in three innings of work in relief of Velasquez, who started and pitched two innings. Anderson pitched the sixth and seventh innings, notching three strikeouts and retired the last four batters he faced before turning the pitching duties over to Elder who retired all six batters of the eighth and ninth innings in order with four strikeouts. The Foresters scored single runs twice when Logan Allen (Arkansas-Ft. Smith), who had a game-high three hits, doubled home Ryan Cash (Oklahoma St), who had singled to lead off the third inning, and when Conor Davis (Auburn) singled to lead off the fifth inning and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly. Chase Illig (West Virgina), who tripled and singled, Cash, who added a second single, and Allen were the only Santa Barbara hitters to record a multiple-hit game. Quentin Selma (Cal) had two of the four singles to lead the Healdsburg offense. Sam Reinertsen (Pacific) started on the mound for the Packers, recording three strikeouts over four-plus innings, but allowed both Santa Barbara runs on eight hits to suffer the loss.
In the nightcap, Davis hit a solo home run, Cash hit a two-run triple and the Foresters withstood a last-inning rally that saw the Packers score three times and put the tying run on base before James Notary (TCU), who was brought into pitch mid-inning to get the last out with the bases loaded and surrendered a Jacob MacNichols (Santa Clara) two-run double, struck out the final batter to close out the win. Notary was brought into the game in relief of Chase Wallace (Tennessee), the fifth Santa Barbara pitcher used in the game, who started the ninth with the Foresters comfortably leading 7-2. But when two hit batsmen and, after a strikeout, two walks forced in a run and loaded the bases, Notary was brought in. The Foresters had a 6-0 lead earlier in the game, scoring twice in the second inning on RBI-singles by Davis and Turner Gauntt (Texas), once in the third when Davis earned an RBI for drawing a bases-loaded walk, and three times in the fifth when one run scored on an error and Cash drove two in with a two-out double. Eric Pamow, the third Healdsburg pitcher of the game, struck out eight over the next four innings and, for the most part, shutdown the Foresters offense. The only hit he allowed was Davis’ solo home run in the seventh inning. Other than that and one walk, Parnow retired every batter he faced. Luke Fegen (Indiana State) doubled to lead off the fifth, eventually scoring on a sacrifice fly to get the Packers on the board, and Sam Wezniak (Cal) hit a solo home run in the sixth to account for the other Healdsburg run.
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San Luis Obispo, CA
Brandon Ponticelli (Kansas) and Nick Rincover (Pierce College) struck out seven and six batters, respectively, Elijah Alexander (Rio Grande Valley) had three hits, including an RBI-triple, Chase Cockrell (Ole Miss) hit an RBI-triple and Andrew Lucas (Northridge) hit a solo home run to lead the Coenjo Oaks to a 6-1 win over the San Luis Obispo Blues tonight at Sinsheimer Park. Ponticelli started on the mound for Conejo and, despite allowing a lead off home run by Jay Charleston (Tennessee), a single and a hit batsmen to the first three batters he faced, settled in for a strong outing, retiring the next nine batters in order and, with the help of a fourth inning double play, 15 of the next 17. He did face some adversity in the sixth inning, however, when an error let the lead off man aboard and two walks loaded the bases, but he was relieved by Rincover, who proceeded to strikeout the last two batters of the inning and the Oaks escaped unscathed. Rincover then faced his own adversity in the seventh, escaping another two out situation with runners in scoring position by striking out the last batter, before striking out two more in the eighth and retiring the side in order in the ninth to close out the win. The Oaks never trialed in the game. Charleston’s home run in the first only tied the game 1-1 because Michael Spears (Ole Miss), who had singled and moved to third on a Brandon Lewis (UC Irvine) double, scored on a Cockrell RBI-ground out. Conejo took the lead for good in the second inning when Alexander tripled in Drew Sims (Utah Valley), and added to it when Spears, who with Alexander had a game-high three hits, singled and scored on a Cockrell RBI-single in the third, and Alexander doubled and scored on a Tanner Wright (Cal Lu) RBI-single in the fourth. Lucas’ home run in the eighth inning and Cockrell scoring on a wild pitch after tripling in the ninth accounted for the last two Oaks runs. Chase Walter (Western Carolina), who came into the game in relief of Blues’ starting pitcher Dane Morrow (Pepperdine) in the fourth inning, and Josh Andrews (Grand Canyon), who pitched after Walter, each recorded four strikeouts in two innings of work to highlight the San Luis Obispo pitching.
June 26, 2018
Healdsburg, CA
The remarkable winning streak which has been the top story of the CCL season so far is over as Ian Villers (Cal), Jackson Cunningham (Northridge) and Chrit Rudkin (Montevallo) combined for a 15-strikeout, four-hit shutout of the Santa Barbara Foresters, leading the Healdsburg Prune Packers to 3-0 win tonight at Recreation Park. The loss ended the Foresters 12-game winning streak to start the CCL season. Villers, who starting on the mound for Healdsburg, notched two strikeouts in each of the three innings he pitched and escaped two innings with runners in scoring position by striking out a batter for the third out. Cunningham pitched the next four innings without giving up a hit, stuck out five and pitched through two situations when the leadoff batter of an inning reached via an error, both times striking out the next two batters he faced. Rudkin pitched the last two innings of the shutout, allowing one hit while striking out four, including the final outs of both innings. The Packers got all the offense they would need in their first at bat. Wendell Champion II (Houston) doubled to lead off the bottom of the first inning and scored when the next batter, Ryan Ruley (Loyola Marymount) reached on an error. Two outs advanced Ruley to third and a passed ball allowed him to score to give Healdsburg a 2-0 lead. Quentin Selma (Cal) drove a runner in from first base with a double with two outs in the fifth inning to post the final 3-0 margin.
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Compton, CA
Tristan Peterson, Drew Cowley (Cal Poly Pomona) and Gabe Chavez (San Bernardino) each hit an RBI-double in a four-run fourth inning to lead the Arroyo Seco Saints to a 6-4 win over the Academy Barons today at the MLB Urban Youth Academy. The four-run inning gave the Saints a 6-0 lead, adding to runs produced by a Bennett McCaskill (Dartmouth) two-out RBI-single in the first inning and a Chavez RBI-single in the third. From that point forward in the game, however, the scoring was exclusively on the Barons side as they slowly got back into the game. Trevor Mattson (Arcadia) got the Academy on the board with an RBI-double in the fifth, got them closer when he and Adam Cendejas each drove runs in with two-out singles in the sixth, and Daniel Harris (Eastern Kentucky) drove in another in the seventh with a RBI-single of his own to make the score 6-4. While the Barons mounted increasing pressure on the Saints pitching, they also squandered opportunities to score more, leaving runners in scoring position in four of the last five innings. Saints pitchers Bobby Fulkerson (So New Hamp) and Joey Steele (USF) were key to preserving the win, as Fulkerson pitched out of a situation when he was inserted into the seventh inning with no outs and a runner on second base, ultimately stranding two runners in scoring position without allowing a run to score, and Steele, who came into the game with two runners aboard and two outs in the eighth inning, pitched out of that situation by striking out the first batter he faced and then retired the side in order in the ninth to save the win.
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La Mirada, CA
Declan Kearney (Azusa Pacific) struck out six over five innings, Anj Bourgeois (Biola) had four hits and two runs scored and Skyler De Los Reyes (UC Riverside) went three-for-three with a pair of RBI to lead the Southern California Catch to an 8-6 win over the Orange County Riptide today at Biola University. The Catch jumped out to a 6-0 lead after three innings, scoring one in the first on a Wacy Crenshaw two-out RBI-single, three in the second on consecutive RBI-singles by Miguel Abascal (USD), Bourgeois and David Martinez (Senior) and two in the third on a two-run single by De Los Reyes. At the same time, Kearney was blanking the Riptide, including escaping a situation in the second inning when Austin Sojka (Ok Wesylan) led off with a triple but was ruled out in the next at bat for leaving third base early while attempting to score on a fly ball. Kearney was not so lucky in the fourth inning, however, as a two-out error extended the inning and Brandon Alamo (Stony Brook) hit a three-run home run to make the score 6-3. The Catch responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Daniel Jung (Notre Dame) hit an RBI-double and scored on a Jacob Rogers (UNLV) single. Orange County would score single runs in sixth, seventh and eighth innings, Sojka and Mason McWhorter (Georgia Southern) driving in runs with singles and Paul Gomez (Missouri) doubling in one, but the Riptide also squandered run-scoring opportunities, leaving runners in scoring position in each of the last four innings, twice with no outs.
June 24, 2018
Healdsburg, CA
Dylan Francis (Cal Poly Pomona) pitched six innings of shutout ball, and Sam Shaikin (Valparaiso) and Chase Cockrell (Ole Miss) each hit two-out two-run doubles to lead the Conejo Oaks to a 8-1 win over the Healdsburg Prune Packers today at Recreation Park. Francis allowed only two hits in his six-inning start, striking out five while walking two. He retired the side in order in three of his innings, retired three of four batters twice and allowed only one runner to get into scoring position, in the fifth inning when the two hits he allowed, both singles with two outs by Sam Wezniak (Cal) and Cade Peters (UC Riverside), but retired the next batter on a fly ball to continue unscathed. The Oaks offense took advantage of eleven walks allowed by Healdsburg pitchers, converting five of them into runs. The Oaks got on the board in the second inning when three walks loaded the bases and Zach Kaminkow (UNLV) hit a two-out two-run single to make the score 2-0. Two walks helped Conejo load the bases again in the fourth inning and this time it was Shaikin’s turn to come through with two outs, driving in a pair with a double and later scoring on a two-run error to up the Oaks lead to 6-0. Then, with two outs in the sixth inning, a Brandon Lewis (UC Irvine) double and a walk put two runners aboard for Cockrell to drive in with his double. Nick Rincover (Pierce College) relieved Francis in the seventh inning and pitched one an two-thirds innings without allowing a hit and the only baserunner he allowed, a lead-off walk to start the eighth inning was erased on a double-play. Angus Denton (Arkansas) recorded the last four outs for Conejo, striking out two and allowed the Packers only run of the game in the ninth when Ryan Ruley (Loyola Marymount) doubled, advanced to third on an infield groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly to make the final score 8-1.
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Elsewhere in the CCL today:
Santa Barbara, CA
The Santa Barbara Foresters chased down the Arroyo Seco Saints, trailing 3-0 after Saints starting pitcher Blake Beers (Michigan) held them scoreless for the five innings he pitched, but scored twice immediately following his exit and twice more in the eighth inning to win their twelfth game in a row to start the CCL season 4-3 today at Pershing Park. Beers, who scattered five hits, struck out three and walked two before being replaced, was helped by two double-plays turned in by the defense around him and, in his final inning, despite allowing three singles to load the bases, escaped with his scoreless outing intact. Once Beers left the game, however, the Foresters offense started scoring. A leadoff walk started the sixth inning for Santa Barbara, followed by an RBI-double by Chase Illig (West Virginia), his second of the game, and a run-scoring error that made the score 3-2 with no outs recorded in the inning. Wyatt Kelley (New Mexico St) came into pitch with a runner in scoring position and escaped further damage by striking out two and got another out on groundball. Kelley pitched another scoreless inning in the seventh to maintain the Saints lead, escaping a dangerous inning that saw five baserunners reach base without a run scoring as two baserunners were erased off the bases in fielder’s choice outs and Kelley stranded three by getting a line drive out to end the inning. JD Russomano (Corban) entered the game in the eighth and got the first two outs quickly, but a single by Kameron Guangorena (Cal St Fullerton), an RBI-triple by Ryan Cash (Oklahoma St) and a throwing error that allowed Cash to score put the Foresters ahead for good. Santa Barbara utilized seven pitchers in the game, with the last five relief pitchers combining to throw four hitless, scoreless innings to secure the win. Brett Standlee (Oklahoma State) started on the mound, throwing four innings with five strikeouts and two runs allowed, one via a Cooper Williams (New Mexico St) triple and an RBI-single by Brennan McKenzie (Cal Poly Pomona) in the second inning, the other generated by Jack Smith (ASU), who singled and stole two bases to score in the third. After the Saints scored their third run of the game via a leadoff walk, a bunt hit and a sacrifice fly, three Santa Barbara relievers retired the Saints in order for three consecutive innings to allow the offense to take the lead. Trailing for the first time in the game going into the ninth inning, Arroyo Seco did get the tying run into scoring position with no outs when the first two batters walked. Garrett Crochet (Tennessee) came into pitch mid-inning with the two runners on, struck out the first batter he faced, hit the next batter to load the bases, but then started a one-two-three groundball double-play to end the game and keep the Foresters winning streak going.
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Compton, CA
The Academy Barons scored four runs in their final at bat, Jacob Shanks (UC Riverside) hit a bases-clearing three-run triple, and Trent Anderson (CSU Bakersfield) had a game-high three hits, including the big hit in the eighth inning to lead the Barons to a 7-6 win over the Southern California Catch today at the MLB Urban Youth Academy. Trailing 5-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, Anderson came to bat with the bases loaded and one out and drove in two runs with a double to tie the score 5-5. Then, after the second out was recorded on a fielder’s choice out at the plate, Anderson scored the go ahead run on a passed ball and an insurance run scored after on an error to make the score 7-5. The insurance run proved valuable because the Catch would score one in the top of the ninth inning when Jacob Rogers (UNLV) and Omar Ortiz (Cochise College) led off the inning with consecutive singles. Kris Keach (Cal State LA), who was brought into pitch to close out the win for the Barons, struck out one batter, wild pitched the two runners into scoring position, got the second out on a run-scoring groundout and then struck out the last batter to secure the win. The Catch scored single runs in each of the first five innings and got a strong pitching performance from Tayt Smith (Azusa Pacific), who notched six strikeouts in three innings of work in relief of starter Matt Reitz (Covenant College) who left the game after three innings with the score tied, having allowed Shanks’ three-run triple in the third inning. Deylen Miley (Tiffin) had his second three-hit game in as many nights, driving in two runs on a double and two singles, Ortiz matched Miley and Anderson with a game-high three hits, Anj Bourgeois (Biola) had an RBI-double and Daniel Jung (Notre Dame) added an RBI-single to highlight the Catch offense.
June 22, 2018
Santa Barbara, CA
Jackson Wolf (West Virginia) struck out eight with no walks allowed over five innings and his offense got just enough to earn him the win as the Santa Barbara Foresters continued their remarkable run to open the season by beating the Southern California Catch 4-2 tonight at Pershing Park. Winners of ten straight to open the CCL season, and winners of three straight in as many days against the Catch, the Foresters relied on their pitching tonight. Wolf was dominant. Surrendering a lead-off single to Anj Bourgeois (Biola) to start the game, the left-hander retired the next ten batters he faced in order before allowing a bunt single with one out in the fourth. Undaunted, Wolf struck out the next batter and then picked the runner off base to get out of the inning unscathed. Similarly in the fifth inning, Wolf allowed a lead-off single to Omar Ortiz (Cochise College), but Ortiz was erased in the next at bat when Wolf induced a double-play ground ball and, after allowing another single, Wolf retired the final batter he faced on a ground out. The Santa Barbara offense meanwhile, which was outhit tonight by the Catch hitters eight to six, managed one run in the fourth inning when Luke Ritter (Wichita St) led off with a double and scored one out later when Kameron Guangorena (Cal St Fullerton) drove him in with an RBI-ground out to put Wolf in line for the win. Catch starting pitcher Hayden Jorgenson (Azusa Pacific) kept pace with Wolf in the early innings, retiring the first eight batters he faced and allowing only one baserunner, a two-out single by Brandon Zaragoza (Oklahoma) in the third inning, before Ritter opened the scoring in the fourth. In the sixth inning, however, the Foresters got insurance runs off Jorgensen when Ryan Cash (Oklahoma State), Ritter and John Jensen (UC Irvine) hit consecutive singles to open inning, eventually plating two runs to make the score 3-1. Conner Woods (UNLV) was the first relief pitcher inserted into the game, relieving Wolf in the sixth inning and striking out the side but, in the seventh, Woods allowed three walks, a single by Ortiz and the Catch to get within striking distance 3-2. But that is as close as they would get. Brad Demco (Sam Houston State) came into the game with two outs in the seventh and squashed the Catch rally by picking off a runner and then retired the first two batters he faced in the eighth before allowing a single by Daniel Jung (Notre Dame) and a double by Hill Alexander (Dallas Baptist) to put the tying and go-ahead run in scoring position. Zack Matthews (Oklahoma) relieved Demco and struck out Ortiz to end the threat and then pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the win. Santa Barbara took advantage of an error and two walks to score their final run of the game in the eighth inning to make the final score 4-2.
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There were no other CCL games today.
June 20, 2018
La Mirada, CA
Chase Illig hit a pair of solo home runs and drove in the first of five runs in the eighth inning as the Santa Barbara Foresters, winners of eight straight games to start the CCL season, overcame a 3-2 deficit to beat the Southern California Catch 7-3 today at Biola University. Trailing for the first half of the game after Jacob Rogers (UNLV) hit a two-run double and scored three batters later on a bases-loaded walk gave the Catch a 3-0 lead in the second inning, the Foresters got back into the game one Illig hit at a time. Illig hit his first home run with one out in the fourth inning off Catch starting pitcher Declan Kearney (Azusa Pacific), the only run Kearney, who struck out seven in five innings, would allow before turning the pitching duties over to the bullpen with the Catch leading 3-1. Illig struck again in the sixth inning, hitting his second solo home run of the game to get Santa Barbara within one. Then, coming to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth inning, Illig tied the score with an RBI-ground out and, three batters and one out later, scored the go ahead run when Tyler Hardman (Oklahoma) hit a bases-loaded two-out two-run single to give the Foresters the lead. Andrew Wiss (Air Force), who along with college teammate Christian Gambale (Air Force) were playing in their final summer game this season before returning to the Academy for duty, then followed Hardman with a two-run triple to post the final 7-3 score. Bailey Reid (Westmont College), the fourth Santa Barbara pitcher of the game, was credited with the win after striking out six over the seventh and eighth innings before turning the ball over to Chase Wallace (Tennessee) who pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the win. Hunter Breault (Oregon) pitched three-plus innings scoreless in relief of Santa Barbara starting pitcher Dane Acker (Rice), who went one and two-thirds innings, and Miles Sandum pitched a scoreless sixth inning to keep the Foresters within striking distance. Rogers added two late-inning singles to go with his early double to finish with a game-high three hits, while Daniel Jung (Notre Dame) had a pair of singles for the Catch.
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Elsewhere around the CCL today:
Thousand Oaks, CA
Christian Moya (USC) hit a double to drive in the tying and go-ahead run with one out in the top of eighth inning and Joey Steele (USF) entered the game to pitch with two runners on with one in the bottom of the eighth and struck out two, and then pitched a scoreless ninth to lead the Arroyo Seco Saints to a 4-3 victory over the Conejo Oaks today at Sparky Anderson Field. Trailing after a pair of Michael Spears (Ole Miss) doubles and an RBI-double by Elijah Alexander (Rio Grande Valley) generated three early runs for the Oaks, the Saints got within striking distance in the fifth inning when Brennan McKenzie (Cal Poly Pomona), who finished with a game-high three hits, led off with a single and scored on a double by Mitch Kerner, and a two-out RBI-single by Gabe Chavez (San Bernardino), who drove in Kerner to make the score 3-2. Michael Gomez (Cal Poly Pomona) pitched two-plus innings scoreless, allowing only one hit in relief of Saints starting pitcher Jonathan Russomano (Corban), and Reed Osborn (Howard JC), who followed Gomez with one and third inning scoreless, held the Oaks offense in check until a pair of one out walks to Saints hitters set the table for Moya’s big hit.
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San Luis Obispo, CA
Logan Pollack (Michigan) drove in Andrew Wilson (Marymount-NAIA), who had reached base on a two-base error, with the go-ahead run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning and Kris Keach (Cal State LA) retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Academy Barons to a 4-3 win over the San Luis Obispo Blues tonight at Sinsheimer Park. In a game that saw the lead change three times late, it was the team who capitalized on miscues last who came out on top. With the score tied 2-2 after seven innings of play, the Barons took advantage of a passed ball to move a runner into scoring position with two outs, an opportunity RJ Bates (San Bernardino) turned into a run with a run-scoring single. In the bottom of the eighth inning it was the Blues turn to cash in as four consecutive one-out walks tied the score 3-3. Then, in the top of the ninth, Wilson reached second base with two outs via an error and Pollack delivered the game-winner. An RBI-single in the third inning by Auston Chastain (Fresno St) and a Conagher Sands (Cal Poly) run-scoring single in the fourth drove in Justin Lutes (Pepperdine), who had led off the inning with a triple, generated the Blues’ two early runs. Roosevelt Barnes (Morehouse College) hit a solo home run in the fifth inning and, earlier, Joseph Argumedo (Lynn) singled and eventually scored on a Pollack sacrifice fly in the second to score the Barons first two runs. Jake Binder (Ithaca College) started on the mound for the Academy, allowing two runs over five innings of work while striking out five and did not figure in the decision. Thomas Triantos (Cal Poly) started and pitched the first four innings for the Blues, allowing one run while recording four strikeouts before turning the pitching duties over to Cameron Ziegler and Clark Eder (San Diego St) who each allowed one run in two innings pitched with two and three strikeouts respectively. Ben Kirke (Grand Canyon) struck one while working the ninth inning and, when Pollack’s hit proved enough, was saddled with the loss.
June 17, 2018
Thousand Oaks, CA
Dylan Francis (Cal Poly Pomona) notched eight strikeouts over five innings and RBI-singles by four hitters in the fifth inning led the Conejo Oaks to a 9-1 victory over the Academy Barons today at Sparky Anderson Field. Francis scattered three hits over his five-inning start, two of which plated the only run of the game for the Barons in the first inning, a one-out single by Trent Anderson (CSU Bakersfield) and a two-out RBI-double by Garrett Ouellette (CSU Bakersfield). From there Francis got stronger as his outing progressed, striking out one in the second inning with a runner in scoring position, two more in the third and striking out the last four batters he faced over the course of the fourth and fifth innings. After the Oaks took advantage of a hit batsmen, a walk and two Academy errors to score twice and take the lead in the second inning, Conejo scored five times in the fifth inning to take command of the game when Tyler Ryan (Pacific), Michael Spears (Ole Miss), Michael Tillman (Cal St LA) and Sam Shaikin (Valparaiso) all came through with RBI-singles. The Oaks bullpen took command of the game from that point forward as John Vergara, Eric Ma (Whitman College), Nick Rincover (Pierce College) and Gerry Ramirez (Glendale JC) took their turn pitching a scoreless inning to close out the win, combining to allow only two hits and four total baserunners, two of which were caught stealing. The final two Oaks runs came when Bryce Vitt tripled with one out in the seventh inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly, and in the eighth when Brandon Lewis (UC Irvine) doubled, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch.
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Elsewhere around the CCL today:
Santa Barbara, CA
Ryan Cash (Oklahoma St) tripled and scored in the first inning, Michael Neustifier (Oklahoma State) singled and scored in the second, and a five-pitcher rotation made the two runs hold up as the Santa Barbara Foresters beat the San Luis Obispo Blues 3-1 today at Pershing Park. It was the second time in as many days the Foresters pitching staff thwarted the Blues offense. After six pitchers combined to no-hit San Luis Obispo last night, the five pitchers today were in more of a bend-but-not-break mode. After being retired in order for the first two innings by Santa Barbara starting pitcher Brett Standlee (Oklahoma State), the Blues started putting offensive pressure on the Foresters, putting runners into scoring position in six of the last seven innings. After Standlee retired the first seven batters he faced in order, Jay Charleston (Tennessee) singled in the third inning and scored when Auston Chastain (Fresno St) tripled with two outs. That would be the only run the Blues would muster off of Santa Barbara pitching in the two game set. Standlee, who would pitch five innings today, left two runners in scoring position in the fourth inning after Slade Heggen (Gonzaga) and Luc Lipcius (Tennessee) hit consecutive singles to lead off the inning and were sacrificed into scoring position, but Standlee struck out one and got a line-out to escape unscathed. Charleston led off the fifth inning with a another single and, after he was erased on a caught-stealing, Standlee induced two ground ball outs before turning the pitching duties over to the bullpen. As they had done last night, the Foresters relievers were nearly unhittable. Hunter Breault (Oregon) pitched two innings scoreless, allowing the only hit, a double by Brandon Frazier (Georgia Gwinnett) to lead off the seventh inning, the Blues would get the rest of the game. Jackson Wolf (West Virginia), the fourth Santa Barbara pitcher used in the game, faced the toughest situation, entering the game with two runners aboard via walks in the eighth inning and no outs, but he also escaped unscathed, inducing two infield pop-ups and striking out one. Chase Wallace (Tennessee) struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning of work to close out the win for Santa Barbara. The Foresters offense got the two runs they needed to win the game in the first and second innings, and added an insurance run in the seventh. Cash’s one-out triple in the first led to the first run, Neustifier scored in the second after he singled and advanced station-to-station to third base on a walk and a Kameron Guangorena (Cal St Fullerton) single, and advanced to home on a two-out bases-loaded walk. Santa Barbara scored their third run when Guangorena singled again and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.