SIXTH INNING NIGHTMARE DASHES BASEBALL'S KEY CHANCE TO MOVE UP CONFERENCE LADDER

SIXTH INNING NIGHTMARE DASHES BASEBALL'S KEY CHANCE TO MOVE UP CONFERENCE LADDER

The Bakersfield College Baseball Team (13-8, 9-6) entered the week in great position to unseat LA Pierce (14-18, 11-4) from the catbird seat in the Western State Conference South, but the Brahmas had other plans and blanked the Renegades 3-0 at home yesterday and gored them open in the sixth inning today on the way to a 8-4 win at Gerry Collis Field.

"We had a two-out nightmare in the sixth inning," Coach Tim Painton said, "We got two quick outs, gave up back to back singles, made a pitching change, gave up another single, hit a batter, then another single, made another pitching change, and then the big blow was the grand slam." 

Leading 3-2 going into the sixth, starter Chris Diaz quickly retired the first two batters before surrendering singles to Micah Ortiz and Tyler Dietri. Painton lifted Diaz for reliever Taylor Burns, who surrendered a single to Mike Scolaro to load the bases, and then allowed Ortiz to score on a passed ball freeing first base. The following batter Alexis Miran reached after being hit by a pitch to again load the bases for Will Pickett who singled to plate a run and make it 4-3. Painton lifted Burns for reliever Cain Roberts, who gave up the grand slam to slugger Brandon Lewis to make it 8-3. Cain retired Jorge Navare to finally end the sixth, but the damage was done. 

"It took us three pitchers to get three outs and that's not acceptable, and that's the end result," Painton said, "Lewis is a dangerous hitter, and we knew that going in. But you can't let a team's best hitter beat you in that situation. But we created that situation by not closing out the sixth inning with two outs and nobody on. We've got to be better than that." 

BC will host Golden West College at 1pm Saturday at Gerry Collis Field.