IRVINE, Calif. — Behind five dominant shutout innings from Hauze Fragoso (Cal St Bakersfield) and a late offensive surge, the OC Riptide shut out the Barons 5-0 on Sunday night at Great Park.
The Riptide started off hot with a Bradley Navarro (University of Utah) single, followed by a Jake Lambdin (Duke University) single advancing Navarro to third. Lambdin promptly stole second, getting into scoring position, and Carter Danz (Northwestern University) then drew a walk to load the bases. Bringing up Luke Johnson (Cornell University), driving in the first run of the game after a successful sac-fly. Reid Montgomery (Long Beach State University) drove a deep fly ball to right-center, scoring two more to cap off the 1st.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jack Salmon (UNLV) and Navarro each singled to open the frame, but the Riptide couldn’t capitalize. Lambdin struck out, Cadena reached on an error, then Danz and pinch-hitter Brady Petit (St Marys College of California) struck out to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Hauze Fragoso (Cal St Bakersfield)
Photo courtesy of jgray.media
Fragoso delivered a fantastic outing, keeping the Barons guessing. The right-hander struck out five in five shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one walk. Fragoso mentioned postgame, “Honestly, everything felt like it was on the zone tonight, I just need to trust my pitches when I get deeper into games.”
The Riptide were quiet until the bottom of the 8th after a couple of walks from Montgomery and Jimmy Zakhar (Portal) put runners on, as Navarro reached on an infield single, scoring one, followed by a wild pitch bringing Zakhar home. Making it 5-0 to end the 8th.
Fragozo had a great start, while the Riptide bullpen sealed the shutout with four scoreless innings of their own. With two groundouts and a strikeout in the sixth, Dane Grant (UCI), who came in as a sharp relief, retired the side in order. In the ninth inning, Jack OMalley (Bucknell University) worked past a leadoff single and ended the game with a strikeout and a runner thrown out at second.
The Riptide face North County United, Thursday at the Great Park at 7 pm.
