Dos Pueblos’ Ryan Ventura helped himself out in the bottom of the eighth inning on Thursday, scoring the game-winning run to give himself and the Chargers a 9-8 extra-inning victory over Rio Mesa.
On the mound, Ventura didn’t allow an earned run over the final three innings to earn the decision.
On the base paths, Ventura made it home to score the game-winner on a Jesus Salas grounder to third. With the infield playing in, Rio Mesa had a chance at a force-out at home but the throw hit Ventura in the back and allowed him to score without a play.
“We were really lucky to get out of that game with a win,” admitted Chargers head coach Nate Mendoza. “We were able to battle back from behind two times.”
Third baseman Michael Spiritosanto belted a solo home run to leadoff the fourth. The sophomore finished 2-for-4 with the home run and 2 RBIs. Another sophomore, Steven Reveles, went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored.
“More than anything it was just a shot,” noted Mendoza on Spiritosanto’s line-drive blast over the left-centerfield fence.
It was the fourth of five contests for the Chargers (2-2) in the Southern California Challenge. They wrap up the two-week tournament on Saturday at home against Agoura at 11 a.m.
DOS PUEBLOS 9, RIO MESA 8
Rio Mesa 300 013 10 – 8 7 6
Dos Pueblos 001 214 01 – 9 9 3
RM – Lerma (6 ip), and Griffith. DP – Bradley Theodre 5in., Evan Glick (6), Ryan Ventura(6), and Salas, Richardson, Salas. 2B: RM 2, DP 2 (Reveles 2). HR: RM – Barber (5th, none on), DP – Spiritosanto (4th, None on)
