Cuesta Baseball entered the 2022 season ranked #10 in the pre-season polls, however there they are hosting #9 Riverside for a season-opening homestand this weekend.  The visiting Tigers took the first round in their three-day "cat-fight" with the Cougars, 11-4.  Riverside scored six runs in the first two innings and cruised to victory.  Cuesta got on the board in the 5th inning after Kayne Ross (Aliso Viejo) singled and later scored on an RBI-groundout by Mattias Sessing (Westlake Village) to cut Riverside's advantage to 8-1.  The Tigers answered with three more runs the next inning and withstood Cuesta's three-run rally in the 8th inning to take the day, 11-4.  Cuesta's Shortstop Ryan Fenn (El Cajon) was the only Cuesta player to enjoy a multi-hit game, as he accounted for two of the Cougars' six hits.  Both teams emptied the benches to open the season, Riverside boasted 25 players on the field, while Cuesta sent 17 into action.  Cuesta Right-hander Nico Martinez (Goleta) earned the opening day start and took the loss.  Martinez is in his third year with the program, but still a freshman due to COVID.  He entered the game with a career 2.73 ERA in just under 30 innings of work over the past two seasons.  Martinez was saddled with the loss, while Riverside Starter Gabriel Flores was pulled after five innings, without allowing an earned run, to claim the victory.  

Today was the first day Cuesta's three-day, three-game series against Riverside.  The Cougars and Tigers play again on both Friday (1 PM) and Saturday (Noon).