Irvine, Calif. — In a back-and-forth battle filled with momentum swings and missed opportunities, the OC Riptide saw their season come to an end with an 8-6 loss to the Arroyo Seco Saints in the Wild Card game.
Michael Erspamer (Stanford University)
Photo courtesy of jgray.media
Through the first three innings, Michael Erspamer (Stanford University) held the Saints scoreless, allowing just one hit. In the top of the fourth, Arroyo Seco quickly strung together a couple of hits and a walk, leading to two runs crossing the plate.
In the bottom of the fifth, leadoff singles from both Zach Crandall (UCI) and Jack Salmon (UNLV) got the ball rolling. A wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third for Riley Hunsaker (California Baptist University) to capitalize with a single to right, scoring Crandall.
A wild pick off, then scored one more, tying the game at 2-2. Bradley Navarro (University of Utah) singled with a runner in scoring position to take the lead going into the sixth.
The Saints struck back in the top of the sixth after a single and a triple scored two runs, flipping the script for the Tide.
OC came back with fire in the bottom of the sixth. A Luke Johnson (Cornell University) walk opened the inning, and Reid Montgomery (Long Beach State University) tripled down the right field line, scoring Johnson. A couple walks from Crandall and Camden Sos (Santa Clara University), along with a fielder’s choice from both Salmon and Hunsaker, pushed the Riptide back in front 6-4 to end the sixth.
Arroyo Seco would not go away quietly, as a couple of Riptide errors were strung together with productive hits in the eighth and ninth, leading to four more runs for the Saints. Taking the lead 8-6.
Head Coach Bryan Evans reflected on the season after the loss, sharing his thoughts on the team’s journey and overall effort, “We became a family this summer, and they grinded through adversity day in and day out, and I can’t say enough about these kids. They’re grinders, they’re gamers, they’re competitors. They love the game of baseball”.
The Riptide’s 2025 season, which was characterized by determination, offensive sparks, and outstanding performances from all over the roster, comes to an end with the loss. The team demonstrated its capacity to keep going through hardship and compete until the final out despite the difficult ending. The foundation established this summer sets a good tone for the future, even though the postseason run was cut short.
