Cats end four-game slide
Series resumes on Thursday at Saddleback
The Saddleback baseball team opened a three-game series with Riverside City College with a 6-4 win in 11 innings on Tuesday in Riverside. The win snapped a four-game losing streak.
Saddleback entered the contest having lost four straight games by one or two runs and had its hands full having to play the top team in the Orange Empire Conference standings entering Tuesday. The Bobcats and Tigers went back and forth before Saddleback struck for a run in the top half of the ninth inning to tie the game at 4-4. Jacob Hudson provided the game-tying hit when he tripled with two outs in the inning to score Wesley Hickey.
The two teams went to the 11th inning tied at 4-4 when Hudson struck again with two outs in the inning. Hudson came to the plate with Jack Borges at second base and delivered a double down the right field line to break up the tie. The Bobcats then took advantage of some mistakes by the Tigers as Hudson advanced to third base on a wild pitch. He would then come home to score after Matthew Henning reached base on a defensive miscue from the RCC third baseman.
Saddleback used a quartet of pitchers in the game. Jace Barajas started and pitched into the fifth inning before giving way to the bullpen. Miles Chandler and Jack Gallison both pitched 2.1 innings before giving the ball to Jayden Graves in the bottom half of the 10th inning. Graves got into a little trouble in the bottom half of the 11th inning but was bailed out by some good defense when the defense turned a double-play for the first two outs of the inning. After a walk and single, Graves then got out of the inning with a force out on a grounder to the shortstop, who flicked the ball over to second base for the final out of the game.
Borges led the offense, finishing 3-for-6. Andreas Nilsen also reached base three times, finishing 2-for-3 with a walk. Hudson finished 2-for-6 with two RBI.
Saddleback is now 14-12 overall and 4-3 in Orange Empire Conference play. The Bobcats are now tied for second place with Fullerton College following the game.
Saddleback and Riverside City will resume the series on Thursday at Saddleback, with the first pitch scheduled for 2:00 PM.