Gabe Speier allowed only three hits and Dos Pueblos capitalized on two passed balls to score the tying and winning runs to beat Lompoc 3-2 in coach Nate Mendoza’s return to his alma mater on Wednesday.
Trailing 2-0 since the first inning, the Chargers missed an opportunity in the fifth inning, leaving runners at second and third base.
But they cashed in with two outs in the sixth against Lompoc ace Ryan Bower. Joe Huthsing homered to get the Chargers on the scoreboard and Michael Spiritosanto followed with a single.
Spiritosanto raced to third base on a passed ball and scored the tying run on another passed ball. Kyle Richardson kept the rally alive with a single and moved to third base on the third passed ball of the inning. The Lompoc catcher tried to throw Richardson out at third, but the ball skipped past the third baseman and the DP baserunner came home for the eventual winning run.
“We’ll take it,” said Mendoza.
The DP coach raved about the performance of Speier, who after giving up a two-run homer to Daniel Mallory in the first inning allowed only one hit for the rest of the game. He also didn’t walk a batter.
“He’s a big competitor,” Mendoza said. “He left the ball up to their No. 3 hitter and that only made him more competitive. He used a little bit of anger in the right direction.”
Mendoza said Speier’s pitching “led our defense.”
Third baseman Spiritosanto played a solid game in the field.
The game marked the return of Mendoza and DP assistant Brooks Garcia to Lompoc, where they were baseball stars.
“This game definitely meant a lot to us,” said Mendoza.
The Chargers (4-2) open Channel League next week against Ventura.
Dos Pueblos…000 003 0 — 3 4 0
Lompoc…200 000 0 — 2 3 2
Speier and Richardson; Bower and D. Mallory. W—Speier 2-1. L—Bower 2-1.
2B: L: Chambers. DP: Huthsing. HR—L: Daniel Mallory, 1st inn. one on. DP: Huthsing, 6th inn. none on.
