Foresters, Crawdads Walk Off as Blues Power Past Barons in Thursday CCL Action
Thursday's California Collegiate League slate featured late-game drama across the league, with the Santa Barbara Foresters and Walnut Creek Crawdads both earning walk-off victories. The San Luis Obispo Blues powered their way to a dominant road win, while the Sonoma Stompers answered a late comeback attempt to secure a victory over the San Francisco Seagulls.
Santa Barbara Foresters 5, San Diego Waves 4
The Santa Barbara Foresters erased a late deficit with a three-run ninth inning, walking off the San Diego Waves for a 5-4 victory.
San Diego jumped ahead early with three runs in the first inning. Tyler Wick reached on an error that brought in two runs before Andreas Nilsen followed with an RBI double to give the Waves a 3-0 lead.
Santa Barbara chipped away behind Chris Newstrom, who drove in the Foresters' first run with an RBI double in the first and added another RBI single in the sixth. After the Waves extended their lead to 4-2 in the seventh, the Foresters rallied in the ninth. Brady Janusek delivered the decisive swing, clearing the bases with a three-run double to score Sawyer Farr, Kurt Ippolito and Addison Klepsch for the walk-off win.
Walnut Creek Crawdads 7, Alameda Merchants 5
The Walnut Creek Crawdads won in dramatic fashion, defeating the Alameda Merchants 7-5 on Riley Winchell's walk-off three-run home run in the 10th inning.
Walnut Creek built a 4-0 lead through the first three innings, with Peyton Rowles, TJ Woodson and Sutter Moss helping the Crawdads take early control. Alameda responded late, scoring three runs in the seventh before Fabian Gomez tied the game with a solo home run in the eighth.
Gomez came through again in the 10th, doubling in Kai Laxa to give Alameda a 5-4 lead. Walnut Creek answered in the bottom half, as Winchell launched a three-run homer to score Sutter Moss and Kevin Parker and end the game.
San Luis Obispo Blues 15, Academy Barons 4
The San Luis Obispo Blues used three consecutive four-run innings to pull away from the Academy Barons in a 15-4 road victory.
Academy scored first on Nathaniel Williams' RBI single in the opening inning, but San Luis Obispo took control from there. The Blues scored four runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to build a double-digit lead.
CJ Moran drove in two runs with a single in the third, Miles Mador added a two-run triple in the fifth and Kutter Gage Webb homered to right field in the sixth. San Luis Obispo finished with 15 runs on 15 hits and played error-free defense.
Sonoma Stompers 8, San Francisco Seagulls 5
The Sonoma Stompers jumped out to an early lead, then responded after the San Francisco Seagulls tied the game late to earn an 8-5 victory.
Sonoma scored five runs in the first inning, highlighted by Tino Vasell's grand slam. Connor Johnston added an RBI single later in the inning to give the Stompers a 5-0 lead.
San Francisco battled back with one run in the second, two in the fifth and two more in the eighth to tie the game at 5-5. Sonoma answered in the bottom of the eighth, retaking the lead on Johnston's RBI single before adding two more runs on a bases-loaded walk and hit by pitch.
Players of the Night
Brady Janusek, Santa Barbara Foresters
Janusek delivered a walk-off three-run double in the ninth inning to lift the Foresters past the Waves.
Riley Winchell, Walnut Creek Crawdads
Winchell ended Walnut Creek's extra-inning matchup with Alameda on a walk-off three-run home run in the 10th.
Tino Vasell, Sonoma Stompers
Vasell powered Sonoma's offense early with a first-inning grand slam.
Fabian Gomez, Alameda Merchants
Gomez tied the game with a solo home run in the eighth and gave Alameda the lead with an RBI double in the 10th.
Kutter Gage Webb, San Luis Obispo Blues
Webb added a two-run home run as part of San Luis Obispo's 15-run performance.
Around the League
• Santa Barbara Foresters 5, San Diego Waves 4
• Walnut Creek Crawdads 7, Alameda Merchants 5
• San Luis Obispo Blues 15, Academy Barons 4
• Sonoma Stompers 8, San Francisco Seagulls 5