Huntington Beach, Calif. - Golden West College baseball surrendered their lead in a 17-9 loss to Riverside at Hoover Field on Thursday. 

The Tigers' center fielder launched a solo home run off the scoreboard in the first inning with Johnnie Valdez Jr. on the mound, but the Rustlers answered back with four runs later that inning. 

Jack Salmon started the rally with a two-run double to left centerfield. Salmon was 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in four runs for the Rustlers. His third and fourth RBI were collected in the bottom of the sixth off a single to center field. 

Preston Allen and Ayden Garcia also drove in two runs each in an effort to even the series with the Tigers 1-1. 

The game seemed to be going in the Rustlers favor through six innings, as Valdez Jr. and Jake Ferretti held Riverside to five runs, but fell apart in the late innings. 

Valdez Jr. pitched through four innings, allowing eight hits, five earned runs and a strikeout. This start marked the shortest outing he has had this season as well as most runs he has allowed. 

Ferretti relieved Valdez Jr. of mound duty in the fifth and saw nine batters before getting taken out with one out to go in the sixth. Ferretti gave up two hits, no earned runs, a walk, and got a punch out. 

By the time Ferretti left the game, the Rustlers held a 7-5 lead over Riverside. The eighth and ninth inning grew to be a scoring frenzy for the Tigers as the Rustler bullpen struggled to find the zone and get outs. 

Jack Smith, Kadin Muckley, Lucas Hines, and Ryan Leeonardo combined for six hits, 11 runs, 11 earned runs, eight walks and one strikeout through three and one-thirds innings. At the end of the day, the loss fell on Muckley who now sits 0-1 on the season. 

The Rustlers look to escape getting swept by Riverside on the road Saturday at 2 p.m.

Written By: Marissa Lavezzari