IRVINE, Calif. — The Orange County Riptide’s four-game win streak was halted Saturday night at the Great Park, as they were defeated by the Arroyo Seco Saints 7-2.
As a result of this loss, and a Conejo Oaks loss to the San Luis Obispo Blues Saturday, the Riptide are tied with the Oaks for the No. 1 seed in the upcoming California Collegiate League South Division playoffs.
Starting pitcher Casey Euper (Pepperdine University) tossed 4.2 innings, walked two batters, struck out five, and allowed six earned runs to score. Reliever Jonathon Van Ness (Belmont University) recorded one earned run, a walk, and three strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched, and Jack O’Malley (Bucknell University) prevented the Saints from scoring in the final two innings, striking out one, but walking three.
The Saints got on the board in the top of the third inning, when a batter was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, forcing a run to score. A two-RBI double from the next batter made it 3-0 Saints.
The Riptide’s two runs in the game both came in the bottom of the third inning. Following a fly out from Jake Lambdin (Duke University) to start the bottom half of the inning, Bradley Navarro (University of Utah) and Jake Evans (California State University, Long Beach) delivered back-to-back singles, followed by a walk issued to Carter Danz (Northwestern University).
Reid Montgomery (CSULB) recorded two hits and an RBI for the RIptide in Saturday night’s game against the Saints
(Photo courtesy of
Andy Espineira)
The bases were loaded in the bottom of the third for Luke Johnson (Cornell University), whose sacrifice fly to center field scored Navarro. With two outs, Reid Montgomery (California State University, Long Beach) singled to right to score Evans and put the Riptide just behind the Saints 3-2.
The Saints’ bats continued to fire in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, with two RBI singles and an RBI double coming across to extend their lead to 6-2.
In the top of the seventh inning, a single, followed by a fielder’s choice and then a ground out, led to one last Saints run scoring.
“A couple too many freebies from the pitching staff, but they hit the ball hard,” said Head Coach Bryan Evans. “I think we fell behind in counts a good amount today, and they made us pay for it.”
The Riptide will travel to face the San Luis Obispo Blues on Sunday, July 27 for their final game of the 2025 regular season, which will be played at Sinsheimer Park at 2 p.m.
“Our destiny is in our own hands,” Coach Evans said.
