For seven innings on Thursday, L.A. Pierce was in complete control. The Brahmas hit three home runs, made two diving catches, and held off a furious comeback from Fullerton in a 12-10 win.
In the top of the third inning. The Brahmas loaded the bases with one out on a hit batter and two singles. Right fielder Jeremy Jones drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single to left on a flare. Catcher Isaiah Chaves drew a bases-loaded walk.
The biggest hit of the inning came from first baseman Ethan Granillo. On a 2-0 count, Hornets starting pitcher Will Valenzuela left a hanging slider over the plate, and Granillo did not miss. He blasted a grand slam into left field, making it 6-0 L.A. Pierce.
Valenzuela was unable to keep the game close, as L.A. Pierce did not slow down. The Brahmas added three more runs in the fourth inning. Leading 6-1, L.A. Pierce got runners on the corners on a double and single. Then came left fielder Braiden Sellz to the plate. Valenzuela tried to sneak a slider by Sellz. His pitch did not break, as Sellz smashed it into left field for a three-run homer. This made it 9-1 Brahmas.
Baum looked over at his dugout and had a brief discussion with both the coaches and players after the homer. Some of the Hornet fans had their hands together. It was an uphill climb for Fullerton as they tried to chip away at L.A. Pierce’s lead.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Fullerton scored two runs. Trailing 9-2, left-fielder Sean Green ripped a two-run RBI double into right-center on a 1-1 curveball with two outs.
“I was looking for that hanging curveball, and I got it. I knew they were gonna throw it to me, I knew they weren’t gonna throw me a fastball. I already got two hits on it,” said Green.
The Brahmas hit their third home run of the game in the seventh. After a one-out walk, Chaves stepped into the batter’s box. On a 2-2 pitch, Fullerton Reliever Landen Pulsifer threw a high fastball on the outside part of the plate. Chaves was sitting on the pitch, as he torched it over the left field wall for a two-run homer. That made it 11-4 L.A. Pierce.
“They got nine runs on home runs, and they have 19 on the year. We got to execute pitches a little better and do a little better job of hitting with runners in scoring position,” said Baum.
The Hornets would not go away quietly. Throughout the game, Fullerton struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position. In the bottom of the seventh, the Hornets got themselves back in the game with four runs. Fullerton loaded the bases with two outs on back-to-back singles and a hit batter. First baseman Billingsley hit a hot shot off the pitcher’s glove, and it trickled toward second baseman Dylan Simon, who had no play for an RBI.
Pinch-hitter Niko Mendez stepped into the batter’s box. On a 2-2 count, Mendez ripped a two-run RBI single to left field.
“We kept doing the same thing. Stayed through our approach and came through. We got the pitches we were looking for,” said Green.
The Hornets’ dugout got louder after every pitch. Fullerton players were clapping, while Baum and third base coach Aaron Rowand were instructing each hitter during their at-bats. Some of the fans from Fullerton were clasping their hands together in suspense.
Fullerton got an intuitive bounce in their next at-bat. Right fielder Jake Starr hit a routine grounder over to shortstop Christian Santiago. On the third hop, the ball hit the lip of the infield grass and took a high hop over Santiago into left field for an RBI single. That cut the deficit to 11-8.
“We’re a really good hitting team. We hit over .300, .315 in conference. I believe in them, and they believe in themselves, and it proves the person runs per game and the ability to come back, but there’s no lead that we can’t come back from,” said Baum.
The Brahmas scored a run in the ninth inning, off a bases-loaded wild pitch to make it 12-8. In the bottom half, the Hornets were once again looking for late-game heroics. Down to their last out, catcher Ryan Villanueva, on a 2-2 pitch, smoked an outside fastball into left field off the ivy for a double. Then Starr drilled a two-run homer to left field, cutting the deficit to 12-10.
L.A. Pierce reliever Dylan Adams got center fielder Vinny Hudson to fly out for the game. Fullerton will look to rebound and keep their season alive in Game Two in a best-of-three Super Regionals tomorrow.
“We’ve got to regroup, and we knew it’s never gonna be easy, but this is the better. We lied in, and we’re ready for the challenge,” said Baum.
