Walnut, Calif. – In a series that came down to the wire, the Mt. SAC Baseball Team edged out Chaffey College in a dramatic 9-8 walk-off victory in Game 3 on Saturday, May 10. With the win, the Mounties clinch a spot in the 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals. Chaffey ends their season with a strong 34-11 record, while Mt. SAC improves to an impressive 40-6.
GAME 2:
After a commanding 13-6 win in Game 1, Mt. SAC had the chance to close out the series in two. Things looked promising early as the Mounties built a 3-0 lead by the third inning. However, Chaffey responded with a four-run bottom half, sparked by key hits from AJ Hurtado, Ryan Melton, Jaden St. Cyr, and Jayden Sanchez.
Mt. SAC tied it at 4-4 in the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Tyler Stull. Miguel Perez and Diego Ortiz followed up with RBI singles to regain a 6-4 lead. But Chaffey rallied once more. A hit-by-pitch, a two-RBI double from Derek Almeda, and a single from Jordan Daniels gave the Panthers an 8-6 edge.
Chaffey extended their lead further in the eighth, adding insurance runs off Daniels, Melton, Almeda, and Lance Armijo. Despite a late run from Mt. SAC in the ninth, the Panthers held on for a 13-7 win, forcing a decisive Game 3.
GAME 3:
With little time to regroup, the Mounties had to shake off that performance and prepare for Game 3, which began less than an hour after their Game 2 loss.
Mt. SAC struck first in the third inning. Bryan Bradshaw laid down a bunt that drove in Noah Rodriguez and Jackson Giacone. A single by Stull and a bases-loaded walk to Cole Nachreiner capped off a four-run frame.
Chaffey responded in the fourth when Almeda scored on a caught stealing play. They tied the game 4-4 in the fifth after a two-RBI double from Ryan Young and a Mountie fielding error.
Mt. SAC answered in their half of the fifth with a passed ball that allowed Ty Thomas to score, followed by a sacrifice fly from Ortiz to plate Stull, putting the Mounties back on top 6-4.
Chaffey clawed back once more in the eighth. A double by Eric Valdivia scored two, and a single from Dominick Torrez gave them a 7-6 lead.
But in the bottom of the eighth, Rodriguez and Giacone came home on a clutch two-RBI single from White, swinging the lead back to Mt. SAC, 8-7. Chaffey wasn't done yet. In the ninth, Young scored on a wild pitch to tie the game 8-8, setting up a walk-off opportunity for the Mounties.
In a dramatic, storybook finish, Perez laid down a perfectly placed bunt that moved Stull to third—and a misplay by the Panthers allowed Stull to dash home for the walk-off win, sending the Mounties to the 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals.
NEXT UP:
Mt. SAC will host Glendale Community College (33-13) in a best-of-three series in the 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals beginning Friday, May 16, at 3:00 PM. Game 2 will take place Saturday, May 17 at 1:00 PM and if needed, a decisive game three is scheduled for Sunday, May 18 at 1:00 PM.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.