(WALNUT, CA) By John M. Sherrard - After suffering 11 one-run losses last season, the Mt. San Antonio College baseball team wanted to reverse that trend this year.
The Mounties, behind a walk-off double by sophomore centerfielder Nathaniel Alam (El Dorado HS) in the bottom of the ninth inning, edged visiting Rio Hondo, 5-4, Saturday night at Mazmanian Field in a season-opening nonconference game for both teams.
The Mounties will travel to San Jacinto College on Tuesday for a 2pm nonconference game.
With two outs and the score tied 4-4 in the ninth, freshman shortstop Michael Smith (Tulsa Memorial HS, Tulsa, Oklahoma), who came into the game in the seventh inning, reached base when Rio Hondo first baseman R.J. Romo (Glendora HS) dropped what would have been the third out.
Alam then sent the game-winning hit into deep centerfield just off the glove of David Ornelas (La Serna), scoring Smith.
"All that matters is the "W"," Smith said, who moved from Tulsa to play for his uncle, Coach Kevin Smith. "It's a dream come true playing for a coach like that and a great person."
Freshman pitcher Zoe Carrillo (Charter Oak HS), pitched the final two innings and picked up the win.
"We had a lot of (one-run) losses last year, but it felt great to get the hit to win it," Alam said, who also had a triple and scored a run. "There was a lot of energy in the dugout (Saturday). On the pitch I just tried to drive it as far as I could."
Also contributing two hits apiece for the Mounties was sophomore second baseman Dallas Reed (2 singles, run, RBI, SB) and sophomore designated hitter Spencer Sundahl (East Lake HS, Chula Vista).
Reed (Vista Murrieta HS) and Sundahl (2 for 4, 2 doubles) each scored in the first inning for the Mounties on RBI singles by freshman right fielder Antonio Muniz (South Hills HS) and sophomore third baseman Esteban Ortega (Los Altos HS) respectively.
Alam tripled in the second and came home on a single to center by Reed to lead 3-0.
Rio Hondo scored a run in the fourth to trail, 3-1.
The Mounties came right back with a run in the fourth inning after sophomore left fielder Anthony Seminaris (Ayala HS) reached first on an error and came home on a single by freshman shortstop Reily Carroll (Lancaster HS).
Rio Hondo tied the game, 4-4, with three runs in the sixth inning.
Mt. SAC starting pitcher David Valdivia (Claremont HS), making his first college start, allowed only three hits in his four innings of work.
"It's really nice to get going with a win," Coach Kevin Smith said. "David (Valdivia) came in and did a fabulous job and exceeded expectations for us."
Valdivia started after sophomore pitcher Daniel Diaz (Ayala HS) was scratched due to sickness earlier in the week.
"Obviously the ball Nate hit at the end was super clutch," Smith said. "I'm just saying to myself 'Oh lord please help us here.' Eleven one-run losses last season, we deserve one."