Zach Zehner's skills at the plate helped SBCC to a narrow victory.
Zach Zehner had a monster day at the plate on Tuesday and SBCC weathered a ninth-inning comeback to beat Cuesta 9-8 on a walk-off wild pitch in the 10th. The Vaqueros (17-17, 10-8) beat the first-place Cougars (22-12, 11-7) for the second time in four days to move within a game of the top spot in the WSC North baseball race with two to play.
Zehner went 3-4 with a homer, a double and four RBIs. His solo homer in the fifth was a booming blast that landed on the softball infield well beyond the left-field fence. That stretched the Vaquero lead to 6-3.
“He’s been swinging a hot bat,” said SBCC coach Jeff Walker. “That’s about the farthest ball I’ve seen hit this year.”
Zehner, a 6-4 freshman outfielder from Torrey Pines High in San Diego, is 7-9 in the last two games vs. Cuesta with five RBIs and four runs. He’s raised his average 37 points in the last four days and he’s third on the squad at .315.
“I saw two sliders my first two at-bats and I punished them,” said Zehner. “I thought they’d go fastball in my third at-bat and I got a little help from the dugout. I jumped on the opportunity (and hit his team-leading third home run).
“We’re all working together. We just want to win and make the playoffs.”
Joey Gonzales, Joey Epperson, Brandon Laubhan, Pat Cavalier and Jared Dinges all had two hits for the Vaqueros, who rapped out 13 hits.
SBCC has scored 38 runs on 44 hits in its last three games. It’s the first time all year the Vaqueros have won three in a row.
Cody Lavelli went 3-5 with two RBIs for Cuesta, which scored three in the seventh and was down to its final strike, trailing 9-8 in the ninth with two outs and no one on against Lucas Benenati.
Josh Miller singled, Alex Detz caromed a single off Benenati’s foot and Lavalli singled up the middle to tie the game 8-8.
In the SBCC 10th, Dinges reached on an error and was out at second on a fielder’s choice. Gonzalez bunted for a hit and Epperson singled to right to load the bases. After a strikeout, Steven Reveles came to the plate.
Brett Haringa, who had entered with two outs in the ninth, threw a wild pitch on the first pitch, bringing home Eli Michaels with the winning run.
“We did a good job of getting guys on base and getting them home,” said Walker. “Give Cuesta credit, they’re in first for a reason and they did a good job of coming back.
“It was kind of crummy in the ninth when we had a one-run lead, two outs and no one on. That was a tough single that went off Benenati’s leg. If Benenati isn’t such a great athlete, maybe he doesn’t deflect that ball and the game’s over on a groundout.”
Danny Nieves pitched 6 1/3 for the Vaqueros, giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits. Benenati (3-1) tossed the final 3 2/3 innings, holding the Cougars to two runs on five hits.
“We did an excellent job of staying in the moment today,” Walker added. “They had the potential go-ahead run in scoring position in the ninth and 10th. Lucas gave a great performance and grinded through.
“The baseball Gods were on our side. Any win is a good win.”
The Vaqueros play their final regular-season home game on Thursday against Oxnard at 2:30 p.m.
LINE SCORE:
Cuesta …..… 010 201 301 0 — 8 11 2
SBCC ……… 302 012 000 1 — 9 13 1
Coldiron, Nelson (6), Nagy (9), Haringa (9) and Nieporte; Nieves, Benenati and Dinges. W–Benenati 3-1. L–Haringa 4-2.
2B–C: Colick. SB: Zehner, Laubhan, Cavalier. 3B–C: Lavalli. HR–SB: Zehner (3), 5th inn., none on.
Records–Cuesta 22-12, 11-7 WSC North; SBCC 17-17, 10-8.
