Baseball, taking a break from WSC North play, splits with Victor Valley
The Raiders hosted Victor Valley for two games during their bye week and they took a split with the Rams. Game one went to Victory Valley, 5-1. The Raiders took game two in come from behind fashion, 8-3.
In game one, the Raiders were only able to manage 6 hits while the pitching staffing allowed 12 hits that led to 5 runs. The Raiders lone run came in the bottom of the 7th when they got back to back singles from Landon Wagner and Danny Asplund with one out. Wagner and Asplund advanced a base after a wild pitch to batter Hunter Curley who promptly hit a grounder to shortstop to score Wagner.
The following day looked like deja vu with the Rams opening the scoring in the first and the Raider bats asleep. Their lead would grow to 3-0 through 5 1/2 innings. In their half of the 6th, the Raiders got their first hit. Nate Franco singled but was put out after a Max Fernandez grounder to short. A Nate Kaczynski single was followed by Jadon Onaca 2 RBI double to cut the Ram lead 3-2. The score would remain 3-2 through 7.
The Raider pitching got the 1,2,3 top half of the 8th to set up the bottom half fireworks. Max Fernandez walked to open the bottom half of the 8th. He stole second and tied the score on Kaczynski's RBI double. Onaca would single again and he was followed by a Drew Paez RBI double. Onaca was thrown out trying to get to 3rd base. 4-2 with one out. Gabe Flores would ground out to 3rd, 2 outs. The next batter Hunter Curley walked. Austin Cuccias was hit by pitch to load the bases. Danny Asplund walked to score Paez, 5-2 Raiders. Nate Franco 2 RBI single drove in Curley and Cuccias, 7-2 Raiders. Asplund scored on a wild pitch to cap off the scoring. 8-2.
Kaczynski went 2 for 4 with a double, RBI and 2 runs. Franco went 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs. Paez went 1 for 4 with a double and a RBI. Onaca went 2 for 4 with a double, 2 RBIs and got the win in relief of Valor Castroll.
Up next, the Raiders will get back to WSC North action taking on Cuesta. It will be home on Tuesday, 4/1, away on Thursday, 4/3 and home on Saturday, 4/5.