Thousand Oaks, Calif. – The Riptide suffered a disappointing road loss last night, splitting their two-game series against the Oaks. On Thursday, clutch hitting in extra innings propelled the Tide to victory. However, Friday night told a different story, as pitching staff shortage plagued the team. The Riptide’s defense faltered, resulting in an 8-2 defeat to the Oaks.
The Oaks’ bats activated immediately, taking a 1-0 lead in the first frame. They tallied three more in the second inning to extend their lead. Riptide finally made noise in the fourth, with a hit from Rocco Gump and a walk from Matt Spear. A defensive error allowed Gump to round the bases, cutting the Oaks’ lead to three.
After a quick fifth inning, Nathan Huy took the mound, replacing Tommy McGuire. The Oaks managed two more runs on three hits, but a strike-out saved the Tide from further damage.
Despite a pair of hits in the sixth, the Riptide failed to bring them home. An Oaks walk drawn in the seventh led to a run on a triple, bringing the score to 7-1. Conejo’s offensive power concluded with one more run in the eighth, securing a seven-run lead.
Riptide’s Matthew Thomas scored Camden Bates in the top of the ninth, but the late motion couldn’t save the Tide.
Assistant Coach Bryan Evans attributed the game’s turbulence partly to the Riptide’s pitching shortage. “We’re a little short on pitching this week,” he explained. “I’m proud of our [pitchers] for going out there and giving it their all.”
The Riptide will face the Arroyo Seco Saints, a top competitor, tonight at the Great Park.
