IRVINE, Calif.—Despite chipping away all game, the Orange County Riptide couldn’t hold the Arroyo Seco Saints from pulling away in the late innings, falling 8-3 at Great Park Wednesday night.
A pitching duel highlighted the first three innings, with neither team recording a hit or run until the fourth.
“I think their pitching staff was very good today. They filled up the zone and kept us off balance,” head coach Bryan Evans said.
In the top of the fourth, Saints leftfielder Carson Panarisi doubled and Jacob Freer followed with an RBI triple to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. Riptide starter Julian Orozco limited the damage by striking out two of the next three hitters.
In the bottom of the fifth, Zach Woodson walked and Travis Curry tripled, but a perfect Saints relay nabbed Woodson at the plate. Bradley Beaudreau later tied the game at one with a groundball through the shaded-in infield.
The Saints pulled away in the seventh. Brayden Flores doubled down the left field line with two outs, clearing the bases to give the Saints a 4-1 lead, and Panarisi followed with an RBI single to make it 5-1.
In the eighth, Slater Nunez walked and reached second on an error before Nate Pone drove him in on a single. Justin Tillar then singled and Shawn Romero doubled home Pone, but the Riptide stranded the bases loaded when Curry flew out to center.
“It was a sidearm pitcher. Typically on a sidearm guy, I’ll back off the plate a little bit. They like to come in – and when they miss with their slider, they’re gonna miss in,” Romero said. “Second pitch, he hung that slider inside that I was waiting for.”
In the top of the ninth, Saints catcher Nick Nashiwa scored on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 6-3. Isaiah Rios then singled to center, sending Donnie Morgan and Panarisi home to tack on two more insurance runs before the Riptide were retired in the ninth.
The Riptide will continue their homestand against the Malibu Marlins on Thursday, June 18, at Great Park.
First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
