Chris Diaz (0-1) got the opening day nod from Coach Tim Painton, and he proved his skipper right with a sparkling seven inning start where he allowed just four baserunners and struck out eight while surrendering two runs; only one of which was earned.
Unfortunately for the Renegades, Moorpark's southpaw ace Andrew Nardi (1-0) and the Raider bullpen were just a bit better leading to a 5-0 loss at Gerry Collis Field Friday evening on the first day of the Light Brigade Tournament.
Nardi was chosen by the New York Yankees in the 39th round of the Amateur Baseball Draft last year, and he showed the dozen plus professional scouts standing behind the backstop why he's a legitimate prospect by striking out 12 batters over six and two thirds while coughing up just a hit and two walks to BC.
The Raiders scored in the first inning despite Diaz striking out the side, and it later proved an accurate portender for BC in the rest of the game. After Grant Bunker doubled with one out, he advanced to third on passed ball as James Terraz struck out swinging. Bunker scored in the next at-bat on wild pitch before Diaz caught Jake Baer looking to end the inning.
Moorpark took advantage of almost the same chicanery in the seventh when Baer doubled, took third on a groundout, and then scored on a passed ball with just one out while Patrick Vald was at bat. Vald then reached first on a throwing error by third baseman Colby Freeman, but Diaz remain composed and got two outs on ground balls to get out of the inning.
The Renegade bullpen took over for Diaz in the eighth, and things deteriorated rapidly culminating in three runs-two unearned-on a pair of singles...and two very untimely errors.
BC will look to improve defensively Saturday when they host College of the Sequoias at 7pm.