Vaqueros rally to sweep Napa, 4-0 and 4-3

SBCC's Lucas Jacobsen threw 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball in Saturday's opener of a baseball twinbill with Napa and the Vaqueros rallied from a three-run deficit to win the nightcap 4-3 in dramatic fashion at Pershing Park.

Three pitchers combined on a six-hit shutout in a 4-0 first-game victory. The Storm (0-3) took an early 3-0 lead in the first two innings of the second game before the No. 4 Vaqueros (3-0) chipped away with single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Steven Ledesma tossed four innings of two-hit relief and kept the Vaqueros tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth. With the new lights glowing, Spencer Erdman singled to right with one out and stole second. Matt Henderson ripped a single to left to put runners at first and third.

After a flyout for the second out, James Brakka hit a grounder to third baseman Cole Chait but he bounced his throw to first for an error that scored Erdman and touched off a big celebration in left-center field.

"We do that all the time in practice, we work on coming back in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings," said Brakka. "I was just looking to drive one up the middle and try to get it in-between the infielders and outfielders. I was looking for a special pitch but I swung at a non-special pitch.

"It's great to be 3-0. That's what we did last year (when they set a school record with a 10-0 start) and hopefully, we can ride the momentum again."

Brandon Evans delivered back-to-back triples in the fourth and sixth innings. He brought home Brakka, who had doubled to lead off the fourth, with the Vaqueros' first run. Matt Henderson scored the second run in the fifth by singling to center, stealing second, going to third on an errant pickoff and scoring on a wild pitch.

In the sixth, the left-handed Evans led off by unloading a 370-foot shot to right-center for a standup triple. He scored the game-tying run on a groundout to second by Derek Rustich.

"I had two triples in a game last year too," said Evans. "I was just waiting for a pitch up and something to drive and they happened to give me the same one.

"We still had a lot of confidence, even when we were down three. We had a lot of confidence, especially at the end of the game because we picked up the intensity. This team is exponentially better than last year. Our pitching is better and our hitting is better. We have all the potential in the world."

Evans and Henderson were both 2-4 in the second game for the Vaqueros, who've won six straight at home and 10 of the last 11.

Sean Berry went the first five innings in the nightcap. The sophomore right-hander was a little wild, giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits with four walks, a hit batter and three wild pitches. He also had eight strikeouts.

After walking the leadoff hitter in the sixth, Berry was replaced by Ledesma. Ledesma fanned the first batter, then gave up a single to right by Chris Bruno. Ledesma made a sharp throw to third to get the lead runner on an attempted sacrifice bunt, then got a groundout to end the threat.

Ledesma, a 6-4 freshman from Ventura High, earned his first college victory by tossing shutout ball for the last four innings, allowing just two hits. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.

"Playing from behind is one of the things you have to do throughout the season," noted SBCC coach Jeff Walker. "It was a good comeback. The first game was all pitching. Overall, we had some good at-bats, we just need to do some better situational hitting.

"Hitting's going to come and go, but pitching and defense aren't going to slump."
 Walker said Evans was the most consistent hitter on Saturday.

"He was great, I wish he had more opportunities to hit with guys on base," said Walker. "Other guys need to pick up the slack. There were a lot of positives today. Stevie Ledesma picked us up big-time to get his first college win."

Jacobsen, a 6-5 left-handed freshman, combined with Jake Keily (1.2 innings, 3 strikeouts) and Kit Larson on a six-hit shutout. Jacobsen allowed just four hits and struck out five while walking four.

The top eight batters in SBCC's lineup all had at least one hit in the opener with Payton Milone and Noeh Martinez getting two apiece.

Henderson scored the first run on a wild pitch in the fifth and the Vaqueros added two more in the seventh. Erdman singled up the middle with one out and went to second on a walk by pinch-hitter Dallas Bacon. Connor McManigal hit a grounder to the first baseman and when he threw to the shortstop for a forceout, Erdman alertly scampered around third and beat the throw home. McManigal went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a singled to right by Brakka.

The Vaqueros will host No. 17 Glendale on Thursday at 2 p.m.