The Orange County Riptide suffered a heart wrenching loss to the Arroyo Seco Saints, 6-4, at Jackie Robinson Field in Pasadena. After taking a commanding 4-0 lead in the seventh, the Riptide surrendered six runs in the bottom of the eighth.
The Riptide took control early.
Saints’ Ace Joe O’Regan entered the game with a 2.97 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched, yet the Riptide jumped out to a 2-0 lead early against the southpaw.
First baseman Jarett Sabol started the inning with a single to right, then third baseman Ryan Castro got hit by a pitch and Tatum Marsh reached on an infield single to short. With the bases loaded, designated hitter Dennis Fitzpatrick lined a double to left center over the leaping shortstop. Fitzpatrick’ s double brought home Sabol and Castro.
O’Regan wound up pitching a season-high seven innings for Arroyo Seco, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out six.
Riptide starting pitcher Colin Rhee labored through three scoreless innings. In both the first and second inning, Rhee allowed two singles to the Saints – yet Arroyo Seco could not break through.
Marsh started another rally in the sixth with a one-out walk. Fitzpatrick singled to right shortly after. Zach Woodson then grounded into a fielders’ choice, setting up runners on the corners for Travis Curry – and Curry delivered.
Curry, who entered the at bat with a .192 batting average – lined a single to left, bringing home Marsh.
The Riptide cashed in another insurance run in the top of the seventh. Sabol doubled with two outs and came home after Castro reached on an error. Castro sent a chopper to second that dove under the second baseman’s glove.
The Saints’ rally in the bottom of the eighth started with back-to-back-to-back singles and a bases-loaded walk, bringing home one. Arroyo Seco then delivered four more RBI singles and a sacrifice fly. All in all, they scored six runs on seven hits in the inning.
Relief pitcher Noah Dabela gave up five runs on four hits in the inning.
“It was four infield hits,” head coach Bryan Evans said. “The walk didn’t help. I thought he was making good pitches. He just looked like – once they got the bases loaded, he lost a little confidence.”
The Riptide then went down in order in the ninth.
Orange County, now 24-15, return to Great Park for a matchup with the Philippines Baseball Group Thursday night.
First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
