WALNUT-The Mounties started the season at 3-0 after a walk-off 6-5 win over visiting College of the Canyons (0-3), scoring four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning on five consecutive hits Saturday afternoon at Mazmanian Field.
Sophomore Jonathan Chapman (San Dimas HS) picked up his first college win after he finished up the top of the ninth in relief for the Mounties. Sophomore reliever Erick Potts (Brea Olinda HS) pitched three innings, also in relief, allowing three runs and struck out three Canyons batters.
Mounties starter Tyler McVey (Temecula Valley HS) pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs and struck out four batters .
Sophomore centerfielder Dustin Frailey (Alta Loma HS) and sophomore second baseman D.J. Larios (West Covina HS) each collected an RBI in the second inning to give Mt. SAC an early 2-0 lead.
Trailing 5-2 heading into the ninth inning, pinch hitter David Roman (Vista Murrieta HS) opened with a single to left and pinch runner Aaren Vaughns came home on a double by Frailey, who advanced to third on the play.
Mt. SAC pinch hitter Matthew Majher (Corona HS) followed with a single to right field, scoring Frailey (2 RBIs, stolen base) to trail 5-4.
Freshman shortstop Travis Santiago (Charter Oak HS) kept the inning alive with a single to left, moving pinch runner Alek Jimenez (Diamond Bar HS) to second and sophomore catcher Edgar Cabral (Knight HS) singed home Jimenez to tie the game at 5-5, setting the stage for the walk-off win.
Mounties third baseman Esteban Ortega (Los Altos HS) then hit a grounder to Canyons shortstop Jose Haros, who forced Cabral at second for the second out, but in an attempt to end the game with a double play, Canyons second baseman Colton Burns threw the ball away at first and Santiago kept running around third and came home with the winning run setting off the wild celebration.
"Just another day at the office," Mt. SAC baseball coach Kevin Smith said as the players celebrated on the field.
Mt. SAC will play its first two road games of the season this Thursday at L.A. Pierce (2:00 p.m.) and Saturday at Fullerton (Noon).