SBCC appeared to be in control Tuesday afternoon at Moorpark with a 4-2 lead and two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Baseball can be unpredictable, however, as the visiting Vaqueros found out when the Raiders pushed across three runs for a 5-4 walk-off victory.
“We pitched well enough to win and we scored enough to win,” stated SBCC coach Teddy Warrecker. “But the opportunity slipped away due to mental mistakes. This one is especially tough because we were down to a single pitch (for the final out) twice.”
It was the fourth loss in five games for the Vaqueros (12-7, 1-2 WSC North), who’ve gone 2-6 after starting the season 10-1.
Corey Krupp and Zack Chavez each hit their second homer for SBCC with Krupp belting a solo shot in the third and Chavez delivering a two-run blast in the sixth that made it 3-1.
Blake McFarland turned in “one of his better starts at SBCC,” according to Warrecker. The 6-6 sophomore gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter.
After Moorpark (6-8, 2-1) pulled within a run at 3-2, pinch-runner Sean Costella made it 4-2 by scoring on an infield error in the ninth.
The Raiders got a leadoff single in the bottom of the ninth before Greg Pellici got a strikeout and a force play at second. The next batter reached on a soft pop-up that landed behind the pitcher’s mound.
On a two-strike count, pinch-hitter Patrick Donahoe hit a flare down the right-field line and Chris LoPiccolo made a diving attempt but the ball got past him and both runners scored to tie it at 4.
“We had told the outfielders not to dive,” said Warrecker. “He dove in a no-dive situation.”
Donahue scored the winning run from second base on a wild pitch.
SBCC hopes for revenge on Thursday when Moorpark visits Pershing Park for a 2 p.m. game.
MOORPARK 5, SBCC 4
SBCC …………… 001 002 001 — 4 6 3
Moorpark …….. 000 010 103 — 5 8 1
McFarland, Edgington (8), Caraccioli (8), Pellici (9) and Gregory, Keller (8); Montgomery, Quick (7) and Landeros. W–Quick. L–McFarland (2-2).
2B–M: Hale, Donahue.
HR–SB: Krupp (2), 3rd inn., none on; Chavez (2), 6th inn., one on.
Records–SBCC 12-7, 1-2. M: 6-8, 2-1.
