Nine innings wasn’t enough for the Brahmas and San Diego Mesa College Olympians in a non-conference matchup Tuesday, but a walk off hit from Will Picketts sent everyone home 10 end.
The Brahmas jumped out to a two-run lead in the second inning. A solo HR from Brenden Lavallee, his first on the season started the scoring. Later in the inning, Gabe Curtier scored on a sac fly from Nick Pico.
The Olympians responded in the third inning with an RBI double from Jeff Pellegrino.
San Diego Mesa took the lead in the fourth inning, opening up with runners on the corners and no outs. Kevin Bristow scored on Tyler Leskiw’s groundout. Grant Ruthenberg put down a picture-perfect squeeze bunt, scoring Isidro Veliz.
The Brahmas reclaimed the lead in the fifth. Pierce loaded the bases with no outs. Brenden Lavallee grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, scoring Michael Tillman from third and moving Will Picketts over from second. Brenden’s brother Johnathan Lavallee singled Will Picketts in, making it a 4-3 game.
“It was a lot of fun being able to hit behind [Brenden],” Johnathan Lavallee said. “We’ve never been able to play together before because we’ve always been two years apart and then he went to a different high school.”
Ethan Sanchez came on to replace Mike Scolaro at the start of the sixth inning. The move was predetermined, said Brahmas head coach Bill Picketts.
“This is non-conference, and I don’t want that to come across as if it’s not important,” Bill Picketts said. “But I have to get other guys in this week.”
Sanchez struggled, walking the bases loaded before allowing an RBI single to Victor Ceniceros.
The Olympians took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning on a sacrifice fly from Bristow scoring Pellegrino.
The Brahmas tied it up in the eighth inning with two outs. Tyler Isbell came around from first on a shallow fly ball off the bat of Pico that bounced off the glove of Olympians left fielder Takis Thayer.
The ninth inning did not go the way the Brahmas hoped. Back-to-back walks to the eighth and ninth batters to start the top of the inning and a sacrifice bunt from Dizor put the lead run 90-feet away. Pierce intentionally walked Pellegrino to set up the double play.
Thayer came up for the Olympians, hitting a fly ball to shallow right field that was dropped by Diego Harris, scoring Jacob Engel and giving San Diego Mesa a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Will Picketts drew a leadoff walk, bringing up Lewis, the Brahmas’ leader in HRs (8) and RBIs (26). Lewis ground into a fielder’s choice, and was then caught stealing, leaving the Brahmas down to their final out.
Both Lavallee brothers walked. Brenden was lifted for a pinch-runner Ryan Shin, and Alexis Miranda was put in to bat for Curtier. On a full-count, Miranda singled into left center, scoring Shin and tying the game up at 6.
In the top of the tenth inning, the Olympians drew a leadoff walk, but would strand him at third base.
The Brahmas leadoff man reached in the bottom of the tenth when Diego Harris was hit by the first pitch of the at bat. A hit-and-run groundout by Pico advanced Harris to second. An intentional walk to Tillman brought up Will Picketts.
On the first pitch Will Picketts hit a hard shot to centerfield over the heads of the defense, easily bringing Harris around for the winning run.
“I was just more aggressive in my approach,” Will Picketts said. “I wanted to get the winning hit, I wanted to get that run in.”
The Brahmas (13-12, 8-8) travel to Ventura College (12-13) today. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
