IRVINE, Calif. — Defensive struggles haunted the OC Riptide from the start Tuesday night at Great Park, as a couple of first-inning errors led to an early deficit in a 6–2 loss to the Bombers.
The Riptide fell into an early hole in the first inning as the Bombers reached base from two errors and capitalized on the mistakes. Putting up a 3-0 lead to end the first.
The Bombers added two more in the second, stringing together back-to-back doubles and a single up the middle to extend the lead to 5-0.
Jake Lambdin (Duke University)
Photo courtesy of jpeg.serg
OC responded in the bottom half of the second courtesy of a Luke Johnson (Cornell University) walk, going on to steal both second and third finally and came home on a throwing error by the catcher. In the third inning, Jake Lambdin (Duke University) stole second before Bradley Navarro (University of Utah) doubled to left, scoring Lambdin, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
In the top of the 6th, pitcher Sean Cannon (St Mary’s College of California University) loaded the bases with one out after a couple of walks and a single, but came up clutch with back-to-back strikeouts to keep the Bombers’ lead at three.
Riley Hunsaker (Cal Baptist University) pitched the seventh and worked through a high-stress jam. After three consecutive batters reached base safely—two singles and a fielder‘s choice—Hunsaker took over a bases-loaded, one-out situation. He issued one walk but responded with a critical pop-out and a strikeout to escape the inning without allowing a run.
Jack OMalley (Bucknell University) took the mound in the top of the ninth and opened with two quick outs before a single, a walk, and a double plated an insurance run for the Bombers, extending their lead to 6–2.
Coach Evans comments on the early mistakes, “I think we grinded. I think we fought… we just need to clean up the defense. We’ve got to take care of the baseball and play cleaner”.
The Riptide take on Philippines Baseball Saturday at 7 pm at the Great Park.
