COMPTON, Calif. — In a game filled with offensive fireworks and momentum swings, the OC Riptide outlasted the Bombers 13–9 at the MLB Youth Academy.
Trey Seely (Hope International University)
Photo courtesy of KeoniCaptures
Trey Seely (Hope International University) started on the mound for OC. Striking out the first two batters he faced, then allowing a single, followed by a double, scoring the game’s first run.
In the top of the third inning, Isaac Cadena (USC) led off with a solo home run in his first start for the Riptide, tying the game at 1-1.
The ‘Tide erupted in the top of the fourth after Carter Danz (Northwestern University) and Luke Johnson (Cornell University) both singled to get on base, and Reid Montgomery (Long Beach State University) walked, loading the bases with no outs. Camden Sos (Texas Christian University) singled to left, scoring Danz, Cadena, then singled to right, bringing home both Johnson and Montgomery. Jonathan Rodriguez (UNLV) grounded into a double play, scoring Sos, as the Riptide ended the inning leading 5-1.
Seely continued to roll, striking out the next two batters and forcing a flyout to left. He became the first Riptide pitcher this season to achieve double-digit strikeouts in one game with his tenth strikeout of the inning, coming in at 94 mph, his fastest pitch of the season.
In the top of the fifth, Lambdin drew a walk, then stole both second and third base, getting into scoring position right away. Finally, crossed the plate courtesy of a Johnson sac-fly.
In the sixth, back-to-back singles from Sos and Cadena put runners aboard early for Camden Burdick (Cal St Fullerton), grounding into a double play while scoring Sos, ending the inning at 7-2.
Sos singled in the 8th and advanced to second from a Cadena walk, then stole third, and an error from the pitcher allowed him to score standing adding an insurance run 8-2.
A productive ninth inning from the Riptide as five more runs crossed the plate, after multiple walks, a pair of hits provided by Johnson and Montgomery, along with two sac-flys from Cadena and Rodriguez made the lead 13-3.
A six-run bottom of the ninth was not enough to bring the Barons over the hump.
Cadena was 3-4 with 4 RBI’s. Commenting on his mindset stepping into the box, “I haven’t seen live pitching since college, went up there just trying to hit a fastball”.
The Riptide are back home on Tuesday against Philippines baseball.
