Fresno, CA - Golden West carried their hot hitting from last night into the start of todays game. In the first two innings the Rustlers put up eight runs holding their lead for the remainder of the game. They needed Joshua Gogue from the pen, who won their previous game in this championship tournament, to close out today's contest after Santa Rosa made a late push.
The Bear Cubs started off the game with a double down the line and were able to score Mitch West with a single by Jeff Bart after one out. Golden West in the bottom of the first started the game with Chris Rodriguez getting hit by a pitch and Chris Gilbody got on with a walk. A wild pitch advanced the runners brining up Cody Marshall who hit a single to tie the game. Michael Fuchs doubled down the right field line adding two runs to the Rustler's total which were the last runs of the inning.
Santa Rosa in the second was able to put up a run to make the score 3-2 after an inning and a half but Golden West was not going to stay quiet in the second. Rodriguez was hit for the second time in the game and after a sacrifice the Rustlers went back to work. Dillon Persinger was hit and Marshal had an infield single. Fuchs then hit a hard ground ball up the middle for a single and the ball was thrown away allowing the runners to move up a base. Daniel Maguire then got on base with another error that scored a run. A wild pitch and throwing error cleared the bases scoring two and that allowed the Golden West to put up five runs for the inning.
Santa Rosa in the fourth was able to put up a run in the fourth after a triple by Bryce Nagata who was drove home by Jake Scheiner on a sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the inning defensive miscues allowed for another Rustler score. Santa Rosa was able to put up two runs highlighted by a Charlie Magana RBI single. In the sixth the Rusters scored two more runs off of errors by the Bear Cubs.
Santa Rosa in top of the ninth looked to see if they could put up a comeback as epic as the one Golden West had last night. Down by 6 runs to start the inning hits by George Foster, Myles Andrews and Chase Cianfichi ended Soren Yarnall's day on the mound. A wild pitch brought in another run and Mitch West doubled in another, forcing the Rusters to bring in their closer Gogue with no outs in the inning. With a strikeout brought up Northern California MVP Jake Scheiner who doubled to bring in the final run for the Bear Cubs. After a flyout to left field the Rustler's were able to pickoff Scheiner from second base, giving Golden West the 12-10 win.
