SBVC Walks Off to End Marathon Game

SBVC Walks Off to End Marathon Game

For most of the afternoon Tuesday, the San Bernardino Valley College baseball team looked to have things well in hand. 

Up 3-2 in the seventh, the Wolverines used a two-out rally to extend the lead to 7-2 going into the eighth. But visiting Cerro Coso scored twice in the eighth, then five times in the ninth to put the Wolverines on the ropes with three outs remaining.

SBVC rallied to tie the game in the ninth, then had to rally for two more in the 10th to extend the game again before pulling out a 12-11 victory.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Wolverines loaded the bases against reliever Kanon Welbourne - Cy Robertson and Kaleb Castro singled and Michael McQueen walked. Joseph Guzman grounded in a double play, scoring Robertson and moving Castro to third with two outs. Ian Burns came through with a double to score Castro and send the game to the 10th.

Cerro Coso responded in the top of the 10th, scoring twice. With one out, Ariel Rodriguez walked and Seth Moore singled. Jonluke Hobdy hit a hard grounder to the left side that Guzman knocked down, but the ball bounded out to left field, allowing Rodriguez to score, with Moore taking third and Hobdy to second. After getting Garren Gledhill to ground out to first, pitcher Noe Delgado walked Justin Austin and James Stoner to force home Moore. Going to the bullpen, coach Jason Kounas brought in Maurico Padilla. Padilla got Carson Lee to ground out to end the inning.

In the bottom half, Cesar Ortega led off with a single, then scored one out later on a double from Grant Davari. Robertson followed with a single to score Davari, tying the game again, with Robertson taking second on an error. Castro was issued an intentional walk to bring up McQueen. He hit a line drive to right-center that looked like it had a chance to fall in, but Cole Fowler slid and made the catch. Robertson was halfway around third, and was easily doubled up on the play, sending the game to the 11th.

From there, Padilla shut down the Coyotes. He retired the first eight batters he faced, then worked out of a jam in the 13th, setting up the winning rally.

With one out in the bottom half of the Emmanuel Palos - who entered the game as a pinch-runner in the 11th, pushed a bunt past pitcher Angel Escobar toward the third base side. Andrew Griffin followed with a single to left, moving Palos to second. Ortega followed by lining a single up the middle, with Palos beating the throw home to give SBVC a walk-off win.

SBVC had taken the five-run lead in the seventh, scoring all of its runs with two outs in the inning. 

Starter Diego Castillo started the ninth, going eight innings while allowing 12 hits. Padilla pitched the final 3 1/3 innings, giving up two hits, with no walks or strikeouts.

Robertson led the way from the lead-off spot, going 5-for-7 at the plate with two runs scored and three runs batted in. Castro was 3-for-6 with two runs and an RBI, while Ortega was 2-for-5 with two runs and the game-winning RBI. 

Cerro Coso's Stoner finished 5-for-6 with five RBI.