IRVINE, Calif. — Despite multiple scoring chances and solid efforts from the bullpen, the OC Riptide fell short at Great Park on a night when timely hitting proved difficult to find.
Starter Dane Grant (University of California, Irvine) worked around an early error in the first and limited the damage in the second after a walk, hit-by-pitch, and RBI single gave the visitors a 1–0 lead. Grant responded with a flyout and two strikeouts to end the frame.
Luke Johnson: (Cornell University)
Photo courtesy of espi.media
The Riptide answered back in the bottom of the second, starting off with a single up the middle from Luke Johnson (Cornell University), followed by a single hit by Reid Montgomery (Long Beach State University) advancing Johnson to third. Bringing up Camden Sos (Texas Christian University), who singled down the right field line, scoring Johnson to tie the game at 1-1.
However, the momentum did not continue a leadoff triple and an RBI single helped the Foresters regain the lead, ending the third inning at 2-1.
The ‘Tide left runners on in both the fourth and fifth innings. Johnson reached on an infield single in the fourth, and the Riptide threatened again in the fifth after singles from Bradley Navarro (University of Utah) and Carter Danz (Northwestern University). A passed ball moved both into scoring position, but a groundout ended the inning, leaving them stranded.
Noah Smith (California Baptist University) and Nathan Helman (Kennesaw St University) were both called in for relief. In the fifth, Smith entered with the bases loaded and recorded a crucial strikeout, but not before two more runs came across to make it 4–1.
Santa Barbara went on to score one more run in the top of the 8th, adding an insurance run to put them on top 5-1.
“We gave ourselves chances and just didn’t get the big hit today,” Head Coach Evans said postgame. “Our approach was okay. We couldn’t string them together. They got the big hit when they had the bases loaded—we didn’t.”
OC failed to cut the gap in a game full of missed opportunities, managing just one baserunner over the last two innings.
The Riptide face the San Diego Bombers Tuesday at 7:00 pm at the Great Park.
