Irvine, Calif. – In Orange County’s final game of the summer and final home game at the Orange County Great Park, the Riptide were unable to gather one last win against the Santa Barbara Foresters as they lost 19-4. With California Collegiate League playoff tie-breaker rules in tact, the Riptide needed to hold the Foresters to less than three runs in order to advance to the playoffs. With the Riptide’s pitchers struggling in today’s outing, Orange County fell short of playoff eligibility. The Riptide finished the regular season with an overall record of 21-19 and an inner-league record of 13-17.

Santa Clara left-hander Cade Connolly started on the pitcher’s mound as he faced 15 batters in 1.2 innings of work. Once Connolly allowed a few walks and hits, Santa Barbara immediately went to work as they put up seven runs in the first two innings. After being replaced in the second inning, Connolly finished his outing with three total strikeouts, but allowed seven runs on eight hits.

Orange County put an end to their offensive drought in the bottom of the second inning as UC Irvine catcher Blake Penso hit a two-run home run following USC infielder Emilio Rosas‘ two out single. With his second home run of the season, Penso is now second amongst Riptide hitters in the home run column with two, trailing only UConn outfielder T.C. Simmons (4).

Pepperdine right handed pitcher Josiah Castillo came in to relieve Connolly in the second inning in attempt to suppress the Foresters from scoring additional runs. After getting the final out in the second inning, Castillo allowed his first run of the day in the third. Of the six Foresters he faced, he finished the day allowing two hits and one run.

Davis Diaz (Vanderbilt) led off the third inning with a single, which was followed by a walk from Simmons. With two runners on base, second baseman Gavin Haimovitz launched a two-RBI double over the left fielders head, making the score 8-4.

Gavin Haimovitz squares up a ball for a two-RBI double over the left fielder’s head. (Photo Credit: Alina Nelson)

Dalton Wood (Rice) came in to pitch after Castillo in the fourth and fifth inning. After a nearly perfect fourth inning, Wood was shaken up a bit after giving up a few runs including a solo home run in the fifth. He finished the day allowing fiveĀ  runs on six hits after facing ten Foresters. Tennessee righty Charez Butcher replaced Wood but struggled to find the strike zone as he walked five of the six Foresters he faced while only recording a single out, which resulted in two runs scored. The third pitcher to enter the fifth inning for Orange County was Washington right-hander Mike Schreiber. He got the last out of the fifth while also throwing in the sixth, ending the day allowing four runs on four hits through the nine Foresters he faced.

LSU-Shreveport left hander Nathan Cachu entered the game in relief in the seventh inning. He faced eight batters, only allowing one hit while striking out one. Xavier righty Shawn Hepler entered the game in the ninth to close things out for the final time this summer as he struck out one of the the four batters he faced, allowing no runs, no hits, and one walk.

OC Riptide vs. Santa Barbara Foresters – Box Score