DVC Baseball Stays Clutch, Secures Back-to-Back Wins with Late-Game Heroics
Diablo Valley Vikings Edge Marin in Home Opener, 5-4
The Diablo Valley College Vikings secured a thrilling 5-4 victory over Marin in their home opener, powered by clutch hitting and strong bullpen performances.
The Vikings wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Joey Rusca drove in Zac Ragland with an RBI single in the first inning. They added another run in the second after Elijah Scott singled up the middle, capitalizing on a Marin defensive miscue. After Marin tied the game at two in the fourth inning, the Vikings responded in the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Marcus McClenon, bringing home Ragland once again to reclaim the lead.
In the sixth inning, Diablo Valley extended their advantage to 5-2 after a fielding error by Marin's shortstop allowed Leo Paredes Williams to score, followed by another sacrifice fly from Ragland, scoring Daenen Napoli.
Marin fought back with two runs in the seventh, but the Viking bullpen shut the door. Calvin Johnson (1-0) earned the win with 3.1 innings of strong relief, allowing just one earned run while striking out four. Nicholas Meadows (SV, 1) closed out the final two innings, stranding the tying run on base in the ninth to seal the victory.
Offensive Standouts:
- Zac Ragland: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI
- Angus Olaes: 3-for-4
- Joey Rusca: 1-for-4, RBI
- Elijah Scott: 1-for-4, RBI
Pitching Leaders:
- Hudson Pergamit: 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 K
- Calvin Johnson (W, 1-0): 3.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 K
- Nicholas Meadows (SV, 1): 2.0 IP, 2 K
Vikings Outlast Cabrillo in Extra-Inning Battle, 9-6
The Diablo Valley Vikings showcased resilience on the road, taking down Cabrillo 9-6 in a ten-inning thriller. James Foley's clutch two-run double in the 10th inning gave the Vikings the lead before Luke Hillesheim's RBI single provided the insurance run to cap off a gritty performance.
The Vikings jumped ahead early with a two-run single from Daenen Napoli in the second inning. They added two more in the fourth, thanks to another Napoli RBI single and an RBI hit from Ragland, giving them a 4-0 lead. Cabrillo answered with a four-run fourth inning, tying the game.
Diablo Valley regained the lead in the fifth when Zac Goldenberg laced an RBI double, scoring Joey Rusca. After Cabrillo tied the game again in the eighth, Napoli delivered a go-ahead groundout RBI in the ninth before Cabrillo forced extra innings with a run of their own.
In the tenth, the Vikings broke through, led by Foley's two-run double and Hillesheim's RBI single, securing the 9-6 victory. Nicholas Meadows (1-0) earned the win after pitching 1.2 scoreless innings to close the game.
Offensive Standouts:
- Joey Rusca: 2-for-3, 4 R
- Daenen Napoli: 2-for-5, 4 RBI
- Zac Goldenberg: 2-for-4, RBI
- James Foley: 1-for-1, 2 RBI
Pitching Leaders:
- Anthony Pisciotto: 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 1 K
- Teagan Gonzales: 1.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 K
- Nicholas Meadows (W, 1-0): 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K