Barons Walk Off Riptide as Legends, Crawdads Power Thursday CCL Slate
Thursday’s CCL slate featured comeback wins, late offensive bursts and a key road victory from San Luis Obispo over Santa Barbara.
The Academy Barons erased a late deficit to walk off the Orange County Riptide, while the Conejo Oaks held off the San Diego Waves in a one-run finish. Walnut Creek used a six-run eighth inning to pull away from San Francisco, and San Luis Obispo limited Santa Barbara to one run in a 3-1 road win. The Menlo Park Legends also held a large lead over the Sonoma Stompers in a game that remained in progress.
Conejo Oaks 7, San Diego Waves 6
The Conejo Oaks battled back from an early four-run deficit to defeat the San Diego Waves, 7-6.
San Diego jumped ahead in the first inning, scoring twice after Anthony Tompkins reached on an error to bring home Tyler Wick before Kayden Anderson added a sacrifice fly. The Waves extended their lead in the third when Kerim Orucevic doubled in Wick and Tompkins followed with a two-run home run, giving San Diego a 5-1 advantage.
Conejo started its comeback in the third, cutting the deficit to two on Matthew Witkow's two-run single. The Oaks then moved in front in the fifth when Danny Aguilera singled and advanced on an error, bringing home three runs to give Conejo a 6-5 lead.
San Diego tied the game in the sixth on Tyler Wick's RBI groundout, but Conejo answered in the bottom half. Owen Meli lifted a sacrifice fly to score Zach Nagy, putting the Oaks ahead for good.
Walnut Creek Crawdads 11, San Francisco Seagulls 6
The Walnut Creek Crawdads used a six-run eighth inning to turn a late deficit into an 11-6 win over the San Francisco Seagulls.
San Francisco struck first in the opening inning, taking a 2-0 lead on Alan Ramirez's two-run single. Walnut Creek answered in the third, as Daniel Polasek singled in Andrew Longaker before Kevin Parker drove in two more with a single to give the Crawdads a 3-2 lead.
The Seagulls responded with three runs in the fourth, using back-to-back bases-loaded walks and a wild pitch to move back in front. Walnut Creek tied the game in the bottom half on Dylan Perez's sacrifice fly and Longaker's RBI double.
San Francisco regained the lead in the eighth on Marcus Graham's sacrifice fly, but Walnut Creek answered decisively in the bottom half. Sutter Moss hit a two-run home run to center field to put the Crawdads ahead, and Perez followed later in the inning with a two-run homer of his own. TJ Woodson added an RBI groundout before Moss capped the inning with an RBI single.
Walnut Creek finished with 11 runs on 10 hits, while San Francisco totaled six runs on seven hits.
San Luis Obispo Blues 3, Santa Barbara Foresters 1
The San Luis Obispo Blues earned a strong road win over the Santa Barbara Foresters, using early offense and steady pitching to secure a 3-1 victory.
San Luis Obispo opened the scoring in the second inning when CJ Moran singled to right field, bringing home Diego Murillo for an unearned run. The Blues added to their lead in the fourth, as Kyle Becker homered to right field with Brendan Comerford aboard to make it 3-0.
Santa Barbara got on the board in the sixth when Kurt Ippolito singled to center field, scoring Sawyer Farr and cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Foresters were held scoreless the rest of the way.
San Luis Obispo finished with three runs on eight hits, while Santa Barbara was limited to one run on four hits.
Academy Barons 5, Orange County Riptide 4
The Academy Barons rallied late and walked off the Orange County Riptide, earning a 5-4 win.
Orange County opened the game with a quick lead when Jarett Sabol homered to right field in the first inning, bringing home Trajan Rogowski. The Riptide added to their advantage in the sixth, as Conner Barth doubled in Sabol before Justin Tillar followed with an RBI double to make it 4-1.
Academy began its comeback in the eighth. Chip Mertz singled in Eiji Sawamura to cut the deficit to two, and Jason Del Villar followed with a two-run single to center field, tying the game at 4-4.
The Barons completed the comeback in the ninth. Sawamura scored the winning run when David Aguirre singled to left field, giving Academy a walk-off victory.
Menlo Park Legends 16, Sonoma Stompers 8
The Menlo Park Legends used two big offensive innings to defeat the Sonoma Stompers, 16-8.
Menlo Park opened the scoring in the first inning when Ryan Duron doubled to bring home Ryder Kelly. Sonoma responded in the third, as Tino Vasell tripled in two runs before Hunter Carlson doubled home Vasell to give the Stompers a 3-1 lead.
The Legends answered immediately in the bottom half. Oliver Hogan doubled in two runs to tie the game, Aaron Louis followed with a two-run double to put Menlo Park back in front, and Ethan Mooser added an RBI triple to make it 6-3.
Sonoma pulled within one in the fourth on Vasell's two-run single, but Menlo Park broke the game open with a 10-run fifth inning. Louis, Mooser, Joaquin Stuart, Will Robbins, Ryder Kelly, Hogan and Eric Altmark all drove in runs during the frame as the Legends built a 16-5 lead.
The Stompers continued to battle, adding two runs in the sixth on Anthony Scheppler's double and one more in the ninth on Mateo Heredia's RBI triple, but Menlo Park's fifth-inning surge proved too much to overcome.
Players of the Night
David Aguirre, Academy Barons
Aguirre delivered the walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning to lift Academy past Orange County.
Jason Del Villar, Academy Barons
Del Villar tied the game in the eighth with a two-run single, helping set up Academy's comeback win.
Sutter Moss, Walnut Creek Crawdads
Moss sparked Walnut Creek's six-run eighth inning with a go-ahead two-run home run and later added an RBI single in the same frame.
Dylan Perez, Walnut Creek Crawdads
Perez drove in three runs, including a two-run homer during Walnut Creek's late rally.
Oliver Hogan, Menlo Park Legends
Hogan drove in four runs, including a two-run double in the third and a two-run single during Menlo Park's 10-run fifth inning.
Tino Vasell, Sonoma Stompers
Vasell drove in four runs for Sonoma, including a two-run triple in the third and a two-run single in the fourth.
Kyle Becker, San Luis Obispo Blues
Becker provided the decisive swing for San Luis Obispo, hitting a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
Around the League
• Conejo Oaks 7, San Diego Waves 6
• Walnut Creek Crawdads 11, San Francisco Seagulls 6
• San Luis Obispo Blues 3, Santa Barbara Foresters 1
• Academy Barons 5, Orange County Riptide 4
• Menlo Park Legends 16, Sonoma Stompers 8
