Huntington Beach, CA - Golden West baseball (16-7, 4-2 OEC) loses final game in series against the Riverside Tigers (16-9, 2-4 OEC), 4-7.
The Rustlers and Tigers met for a third and final game in their three-game series at Fred Hoover Field. Golden West took both meetings and looked for a sweep of Riverside to remain top three within the Orange Empire Conference standings. In their first matchup, the Rustlers found themselves down one run in the bottom of the 10th inning. A come from behind two-run home run from Zech Samayoa walked it off for the home team and began the series with a huge victory, 6-5. At Riverside, the Tigers held a 1-5 lead as the game headed into the seventh. Golden West would score four in the seventh and three in the eight to take the first two games of the series, 8-7.
Back home, Jack Smith took the mound for the Rustlers as the team looked for a sweep against the Tigers. Riverside would do damage in the first frames as an error by Golden West led to two runs, 0-2. In the top of the second, Alex Castillo made an incredible leaping catch at the wall to prevent further Tigers baserunners. Offensively, the Rustlers turned it around in the third frame as they tallied three runs. A. Castillo and Kaleb Duncan both singled to put a runner in scoring position for Zech Samayoa. The designated hitter demolished the pitch over the high left field wall for a three-run long ball to take the edge, 3-2. Jack Salmon continued the rally as he laced in an RBI with a single, 4-2.
The Tigers responded in the top of the third frame with a three-run home run of their own to regain the lead, 4-5. Riverside would tag another run in the sixth to extend their lead, 4-6. The Tigers again scored an insurance run in the eight for a three-run advantage, 4-7. Golden West was unable to collect any more runs and would drop game three to Riverside, 4-7.
Samayoa went yard with a three-run home run as he went 2-4 and a run. Salmon also went 2-4 with an RBI. Smith started on the bump and went four innings as AJ Hernadnez came in for 2.0 frames. Grant Faris and Elias Valdez finished off the final three innings with only one run allowed. The Rustlers suffered their second conference loss but took the series from the Tigers two games to one.
UP NEXT: Golden West will begin a three-game series at Santa Ana on Tuesday, March 19th. First pitch will be at 2pm.
