Crawdads Take Over First as Merchants Rally Past Blues in Tuesday CCL Action

The Walnut Creek Crawdads moved into first place in the North Division by winning percentage after holding off the Sonoma Stompers, 7-6, while the Alameda Merchants rallied past the San Luis Obispo Blues, 10-6. The results pushed Walnut Creek to 21-9 with a .700 winning percentage, just ahead of San Luis Obispo, which fell to 26-12 with a .684 mark. Elsewhere, the Academy Barons walked off the San Diego Waves, and the Orange County Riptide edged the Philippines Baseball Group.

Alameda Merchants 10, San Luis Obispo Blues 6

The Alameda Merchants delivered one of the night's biggest results, using a four-run seventh inning to rally past the San Luis Obispo Blues, 10-6, and help reshape the top of the North Division standings.

Alameda opened the scoring in the first inning when Zach Lewis came home on a passed ball, but San Luis Obispo answered with two runs in the second. Kevin Spear reached on an error that brought home Diego Murillo before Diego Gonzalez added a sacrifice fly to give the Blues a 2-1 lead.

After the Merchants tied the game in the fourth on Max Ghiglieri's sacrifice fly, the Blues responded with three runs in the fifth. Diego Murillo singled in Cesar Chavez, and Parker Kristall followed with a two-run single to put San Luis Obispo ahead, 5-2.

Alameda answered immediately in the bottom half. Angelo Luna doubled in Giovanni Martini and Lewis before Ghiglieri drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at 5-5. The Merchants then took control in the seventh, moving ahead on another Ghiglieri sacrifice fly before Nico Rodriguez reached on an error that allowed two runs to score. Lewis followed with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 9-5.

San Luis Obispo added a run in the eighth on a wild pitch, but Giovanni Martini answered with a solo home run in the bottom half to cap the scoring.

Walnut Creek Crawdads 7, Sonoma Stompers 6

The Walnut Creek Crawdads held off a late push from the Sonoma Stompers to earn a 7-6 win and move into first place in the North Division by winning percentage.

Walnut Creek took the early advantage in the second inning when Alijah Ramos homered, bringing home Dylan Perez for a 2-0 lead. Sonoma chipped away over the next three innings, scoring on a wild pitch in the third, a Misael Uriepero RBI groundout in the fourth and a Trent Keys fielder's choice in the fifth to move in front, 3-2.

The Crawdads answered in the sixth. Brandon Clizbe singled in Kam Taylor to tie the game before Perez doubled home Bryden Bull, giving Walnut Creek a 4-3 lead.

Walnut Creek added three more runs in the seventh. Ryan Ellis scored on a wild pitch, and Bull followed with a two-run home run to extend the lead to 7-3.

Sonoma made one final push in the ninth. Tino Vasell grounded out to bring home Mateo Heredia, and Ben Sebastiani followed with a two-run single to cut the deficit to one. Walnut Creek held on from there to secure the win.

Academy Barons 5, San Diego Waves 4

The Academy Barons erased a late deficit and walked off the San Diego Waves, earning a 5-4 win.

Academy struck first in the opening inning when Nik Sanders singled to center field, bringing home Eiji Sawamura. San Diego tied the game in the second on John Uchytil's sacrifice fly, but the Barons moved back in front in the third when Marc Emmerman grounded out to score Sawamura.

Academy added another run in the fifth to make it 3-1, but San Diego battled back. Uchytil reached on an error in the sixth to bring home Derrick Kraus, and Hank Hansen followed in the seventh with a two-run home run to left center, giving the Waves a 4-3 lead.

The Barons answered in the ninth. Israel Espinoza laid down a sacrifice bunt that brought home Sean Ishii to tie the game, and Sawamura followed with a single down the right-field line to score Jackson Tyler and complete the walk-off comeback.

Orange County Riptide 3, Philippines Baseball Group 2

The Orange County Riptide edged the Philippines Baseball Group, 3-2, in a low-scoring matchup.

Orange County broke through in the third inning when Brock Foulds tripled to drive in Bradley Navarro and Alex Dolan, giving the Riptide a 2-0 lead.

The Philippines Baseball Group cut into the deficit in the fourth when Nomar Vazquez lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Noah Rodriguez. They tied the game in the sixth on Hector Piña's RBI double to left field, scoring Isaiah Chaves.

Orange County moved back in front in the seventh, when Foulds scored on an error to give the Riptide a 3-2 lead. The Riptide held the Philippines Baseball Group scoreless over the final two innings to close out the win.

Players of the Night

Giovanni Martini, Alameda Merchants
Martini helped spark Alameda's offense and added a solo home run in the eighth inning to cap the Merchants' win over San Luis Obispo.

Angelo Luna, Alameda Merchants
Luna delivered a key two-run double in the fifth inning as Alameda erased a three-run deficit against the Blues.

Alijah Ramos, Walnut Creek Crawdads
Ramos opened the scoring for Walnut Creek with a two-run home run in the second inning.

Bryden Bull, Walnut Creek Crawdads
Bull added an important two-run home run in the seventh inning, helping the Crawdads build enough cushion to hold off Sonoma.

Eiji Sawamura, Academy Barons
Sawamura scored twice and delivered the walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning to lift Academy past San Diego.

Brock Foulds, Orange County Riptide
Foulds drove in two runs with a third-inning triple and later scored the go-ahead run in Orange County's 3-2 win.

Around the League

• Alameda Merchants 10, San Luis Obispo Blues 6
• Walnut Creek Crawdads 7, Sonoma Stompers 6
• Academy Barons 5, San Diego Waves 4
• Orange County Riptide 3, Philippines Baseball Group 2