Pasadena, Calif. – The OC Riptide battled the Arroyo Secco Saints, defeating them 10-4 in Pasadena. The bats were on fire today for the Riptide and the defense brought the support.
The OC Riptide wasted no time putting runs on the board. After the center fielder dropped hit hit, Grady Morgan (Fresno) made it to 2nd. Reese Chapman (Tennessee) shot a ball deep into left-center for an RBI double to score Morgan.
To lead off the 3rd, Grady Morgan (Fresno State) sent one deep to center for a solo home run. Nolan Funke (New Mexico State) followed suit with a 2-run home run to center, scoring Reese Chapman (Tennessee).
T3 | FUNKE (@yungfunk_) smacks a 2 RUN HOMER 🔥✌🏻LETS GO RIPTIDE
Score 4-0 RIPTIDE #OCRiptideBaseball #OCRiptideFamily #CCLBaseball #CCL30years pic.twitter.com/gHfVG5b0fo
— OC Riptide Baseball (@ocriptide) July 8, 2023
The Riptide added more on the board with Nolan Funke (New Mexico State) getting on from a walk, Connor Clift (USC) lining one out to center, and Carter Garate (Oregon) sending both of them home with a triple to right. Garate made it home on a wild pitch during Reese Chapman’s (Tennessee) at-bat. With Garate‘s speed around the bases, he said that he, “…got the green light and wanted to take advantage of it and just being patient on the bases.”
Matthew Maloney (UNLV) took over the mound in the 6th. This was his 1st game for the team, as he came late after his time playing at the Cape. In his 1st outing, he produced a 3-up-3-down inning. Two more runs scored for the Saints in the 7th on an RBI single and a wild pitch from Maloney.
In the 9th, the Riptide rode the wave again, with Nolan Funke (New Mexico State) advanced on a walk, then Connor Clift (USC) shot a double to advance them, then Carter Garate (Oregon) hit an RBI single to score Funke. Isaiah Morales (Saddleback) got on from an error by the 2nd baseman and scored Clift.
The Riptide will play the Arroyo Secco Saints again on July 8th at 7:00 p.m. at the Great Park.