IRVINE, Calif. – The OC Riptide finished the regular season on a high note by grabbing a 10-3 win over the MLB Academy Barons in their final home game of the 2024 season.
With their playoff spot secured, manager Connor Spencer decided to rest some of his mainstays in the lineup to ensure that his key players stay healthy heading into the postseason.
However, that did not deter the Riptide lineup from jumping out to a hot start against the Barons, as the team ripped off seven of their ten runs in the first four innings.
Outfielder Luke Johnson (Cornell University) started the scoring for OC with a sacrifice fly to bring home designated hitter Matt Flaharty (University of Utah) in the third.
Then in the fourth, the Riptide overwhelmed the Barons pitching with a massive six-run inning to extend their lead to 7-0.
Three straight RBI at-bats from infielder J.C. Allen (University of California San Diego), Johnson and infielder Jack Hammond helped bring home a combined five of the six runs in the inning.
Hammond’s two-run RBI single in the inning contributed to a memorable 2-4 night at the plate, with the game serving as not only his final game as a Riptide player but also his last collegiate or professional game overall.
After the game, Hammond shared his emotions as he walked off the diamond for one final time.
“It’s bittersweet, but I got to be around a good group of guys and I had a lot of fun this season,” Hammond said. “It’s always fun playing ball, so I’m going to miss it for sure.”
The Riptide pitching proved to be equally impressive against the Barons, as the team once again got a strong outing from starting pitcher right-hander Luis Becerra (Cal Baptist University).
Riptide starter Luis Becerra continued his dominance on the mound this season by holding the Barons scoreless in five innings pitched. (Photo courtesy Dingers Photography)
Becerra tossed five scoreless innings for the Tide and struck out six Barons hitters, while only allowing one walk.
The Riptide bullpen came out strong too, with right-handed reliever Hunter Long (Michigan State) only allowing one earned run across the next three innings.
The Riptide added some insurance late in the game, as an RBI single from infielder Nate Stiveson (Stanford University) in the fifth, and a two-run RBI single from outfielder Jackson Kemmerer in the seventh helped tack on another three runs to the Riptide total.
In the ninth, reliever Matt Schavone (Utah Valley University) closed out the Academy to secure the 10-3 win for the Riptide in the final regular season and home game of the season.
“We played a lot of our guys that don’t see the field a whole lot and they came out with a little bit of fire,” Spencer said. “They far exceeded my expectations for tonight and it’s always good to go into the postseason with a win.”
The team now sets its sights on the California Collegiate League (CCL) playoffs, as they gear up to try and make a deep run this postseason.
“It’s all about playing clean baseball like we’ve said all season long and executing the gameplan,” Spencer said. “I hope that coming into it our guys have as much competitive fire as I do. Any kind of postseason is something is worthwhile to play for, so I hope our guys come out with energy and excitement we’ll give it everything we got.”
The Riptide now take a day off before heading up to Pasadena to take on the Arroyo Seco Saints on Tuesday, June 30 in the first round of the CCL playoffs.
