In a do-or-die situation for the playoffs, SBCC got it done on Saturday at Pershing Park with a come-from-behind 10-9 baseball victory over first-place Cuesta.
The Vaqueros (20-16, 7-12) need to win their remaining six games to have a shot at the postseason. They won their fourth straight home game behind the hitting of Corey Krupp and Aaron Bauman, Krupp’s running and superior relief pitching by Zack Edgington.
Krupp went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and three runs scored while Bauman was 2-5 with three RBIs for the Vaqueros, who bolted to a 7-1 lead after two innings. Bauman had an RBI single during a four-run first and added a two-run triple in the second.
“We haven’t had that type of lead in quite some time,” said coach Teddy Warrecker. “Baseball is a funny game. We put up seven quickly, give up the lead and still find a way to win. If we had lost today, for all intents and purposes, the season’s over.”
The Cougars (24-13, 14-5) scored four in the third and another in the fourth to pull within 7-6. They went ahead 9-7 in the sixth on a single, three walks and a two-run hit by Jacob Domingos.
SBCC came back with three of its own in the bottom of the sixth. Krupp started the rally with a one-out single to left and went to second on a groundout. Barrett Ceverha was hit by a pitch and when the Vaqueros tried a double steal, Cuesta’s catcher threw high to second, allowing Krupp to score.
Andrew Leighty, who was 2-3 with two runs, drilled an RBI single to center, tying the game at 9-9. He went to second on the throw home and Jacob Trimble walked. The catcher tried to pick Leighty off second but the throw sailed high again and the former Santa Barbara High star raced home to make it 10-9.
“He had me picked off,” said Leighty. “Then, I saw the throw was up and I was off and running.”
Edgington, the fourth left-hander of the day for the Vaqueros, came on with two outs and runners on first and second in the sixth. He got Chad Reynolds looking at strike three to end the threat. Edgington (4-0) went the final 3 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on no hits with three strikeouts.
“We had three guys step up for us,” noted Warrecker. “Jacob Trimble was great at third base, he’s a third-year sophomore who hasn’t had much of an opportunity. He had two hits and made some sparkling plays at third base. He’s 5-8 and 160 or whatever … he’s kind of like Rudy in a way except he’s performing at a really high level.
“And then Corey Krupp performed like an all-league player today. He stole three bases and I think he’s one off the school record. He made a great catch at the fence (in the sixth inning). And Zack Edgington … from the moment he came in, he was on. He’s been called upon a lot this season and he’s performed well a majority of the time. That will pay huge dividends next year.”
SBCC is ranked 27th in the RPI power ratings this week and climbed up to 22nd late last year to make the SoCal Regional.
“We were 35th the week before spring break, so we’ve moved up eight spots,” said Warrecker. “This puts us within striking distance. They’re all do-or-die from here on in and that makes it kind of fun.”
SBCC travels north to Cuesta on Tuesday for a 2:30 p.m. game.
SBCC 10, CUESTA 9
Cuesta ……….. 014 103 000 — 9 7 3
SBCC …………. 430 003 00x — 10 10 3
Simko, Morowski (3) and Reyes; McGrew, Whalen (3), Pellici (4), Edgington (6) and Gregory (8). W–Edgington (4-0). L–Morowski.
2B–C: Domingos, Decater. SB: Leighty. 3B–SB: Bauman.
Records–C 24-13, 14-5. SB 20-17, 7-12.
