Baseball: Padilla's SAC Fly Caps Walk-Off Win

Huntington Beach, Calif. - The Rustler's are hosting Bakersfield College in a three game home stand and took game one in dramatic walk-off fashion 7-6. Nelson Padilla came through clutch in the bottom of the ninth with a walk-off sacrifice liner to left field to plate the game winner.

Golden West (5-4) took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning while taking advantage of three walks and an error, Austin Schell lined a two RBI double to right center field. Logan Mahaffy followed Schell knocking in the third run of the inning with a ground out to second, scoring Michael Santorelli from third. 

All stayed quiet till the top of fifth when the Renegades offense caught the timing of starting pitcher Johnny Kuhn. Bakersfield was able to take the lead scoring six runs on four hits while taking advantage of an error and leaving one on base to take the lead 6-3.

The Rustler's would immediately respond in the bottom half of the frame with two runs to cut into the lead 6-5 when spark plug Jeremiah Vison smacked a single and immediately stole second to get the offense going. Padilla would reach base on an error from the shortstop giving the Rustler's runners on first and second. The next batter Ezele Wicks would hit a single and load the bases with one out. After a tough battle at the plate, Nick Dayton would walk bringing home Vison from third and making it a 6-4 game. The next batter Anthony Marques hit the ball on the screws right at the center fielder for a sacrifice fly to score Padilla to make it a one run ball game.

Golden West would tie the game in the bottom half of the seventh inning as Dayton drove in his second RBI of the game on a ground out to second base. Micah Wallette pitched an inning and 1/3 in crucial time to bridge the gap to rising clutch reliever Eric Romo to pitch the last three innings surrendering two hits while striking out three to earn his third win of the young season.