Huntington Beach, Calif. - Golden West College baseball capped off their 2023 season with an 11-inning,10-9 loss to Irvine Valley College at Hoover Field on Friday.
After three silent innings from both teams, IVC scored two runs on an error by Rocco Caballero at shortstop and a base hit to beat the Rustlers to the board. IVC doubled their lead in the fifth inning with a single to center field and a sacrifice fly to left field.
The Rustlers put up seven runs in the bottom of the sixth to grab a three-run lead over the Lasers. Matt Gaunt started the scoring off for the Rustlers after driving in Dylan Lina, who led off the inning with a base hit to shortstop.
Ulisses Perez followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the deficit in half, 4-2, with one out on the board. Nathan Beckley continued the rally, dropping a ball in right field to score Caballero.
Preston Allen and Lina added another base hit and run each for the Rustlers, while Salmon walked in a run to gain padding before three runners were stranded on base.
The Lasers did not let the Rustlers catch a breath, answering back with three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at seven and ending Johnnie Valdez Jr.'s start.
An uneventful eighth inning was followed by a competitive ninth inning as both the Lasers and Rustlers added two runs to force extra innings tied 9-9. A two-run shot to the scoreboard gave IVC the 9-7 edge, but Ayden Garcia returned the favor with a two-run single to the opposite field.
IVC took advantage of a passed ball to score the game winning run as the Rustlers could not produce enough hits in the bottom of the inning to win the game.
Valdez Jr. pitched six innings, earning two of the four runs scored. He allowed seven hits, a walk and struck out four of the 25 batters he faced. The right hander finished the season 5-0 with 68 strikeouts and a 2.47 ERA.
Luke Higgins saw two-thirds of an inning, earning three runs off four hits and two walks. Lucas Hines relieved Higgings, going two innings. Two runs scored while Hines was on the mound, but neither were earned. He added three punch outs to his line of work before exiting the game.
Jack Smith saw two hits, an unearned run, a walk and four strikeouts before the end of the game.
The Rustlers look to regroup and prepare smarter baseball production as they await their postseason matchup to be released after the seeding meeting on Sunday, April 30th.
Written By Marissa Lavezzari
