Gauchos declaw Tigers

The Saddleback baseball team rallied for a 9-8 win against Riverside City College on Tuesday at Doug Fritz Field.  The Gauchos trailed 8-3 before winning in extra innings.

Saddleback started quickly when Antonio Vultaggio blasted a 3-run homer in the bottom half of the second inning for a 3-0 lead.  Riverside battled back, scoring four times in the top half of the third inning in taking a 4-3 lead.  The Tigers then tacked on two runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth and seventh innings in taking an 8-3 lead.

Saddleback's offense finally woke up in the bottom half of the seventh inning when they chased the Riverside starter from the game.  Alex Zerfass led off the inning with a single up the middle and quickly advanced to second base on a passed ball.  Tyler Chaffee then came a foot away from a home run, blasting a ball off the left-field fence to drive in Zerfass to cut the lead to 8-4. 

Saddleback trailed 8-4 heading to the bottom of the eighth inning when they scored four runs to tie the game.  The Gauchos took advantage of some wildness in the Tiger bullpen, taking three walks in the inning in evening up the game.  The big blow was a bases-loaded double to right-center field from Dylan Smith that glanced off the glove of a diving Matthew Darr in right field, bringing all three runners home to tie the game.

Meanwhile, after some early control problems from the Saddleback pitching staff, the Gauchos inserted Ethan Holt into the game in the top half of the ninth inning.  Holt was brilliant, striking out two Tigers in his two innings of work in earning his first win of the season. 

Saddleback looked as if it would end the game in the bottom half of the ninth inning when Carson Matthews beat out an infield ball and advanced to second on a wild throw to first base.  It was Matthews' fourth hit if the game, who is now hitting .415 for the year.  Matthews later advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the Gauchos were unable to bring him home, sending the game to extra innings. 

Saddleback finally pushed across the winning run in the bottom half of the 10^th inning.  Joseph Canty led off with a single through the right side of the infield and advanced to second base when the Riverside pitcher Josiah Torres gave up a walk to Alex Zerfass.  Both runners then advanced a base when the Torres attempted a pick-off at second base and threw the ball into center field.  With runners on second and third, Chaffee then hit a ball to medium center field where center fielder Dylan Morace made a diving catch.  With plenty of time to spare and Morace laying on the ground, Canty tagged at third base and scored the winning run of the game.

Saddleback's win pushes their overall record to 14-3 on the season and gives them a 1-0 start in Orange Empire Conference play.  The Gauchos will travel to Riverside on Thursday for game two of the series at 2:00 PM before returning home for the final game on Saturday at 12:00 PM.