Coalinga, CA – On Saturday afternoon Head coach Stefan McGovern and the West Hills College baseball team took the final game of a three game series vs. #2 Reedley College. The 7-4 victory earned the Falcons its first Central Valley Conference win of the 2017 season. The loss moves #2 Reedley's record to 14-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
Freshman
Chad Gotto toed the Rubber for West Hills to start the day. Gotto allowed six hits and only one earned run in his seven complete innings of work. The Falcon defense dug themselves an early hole by committing fielding errors that plated two Reedley runs. Gotto was able to pitch through his struggling defense and improves his record to 4-1 on the year.
Gotto was able to put the Tigers down in order to start the ballgame. A one out double from Reedley in the second inning was its first hit of the afternoon. That runner was then scored from a Falcon error. In the third inning the Tigers offense kept things going by earning a lead off walk. A sacrifice bunt then moved the runner to second base. Another Falcon fielding error then plated the second run of the day for Reedley. A single followed by a wild pitch scored one more Tiger run.
The Falcon offense was finally able to get to the Reedley pitching staff, unlike the previous two meeting.
Matt Siedem got the third inning started with a double down the left field line. With two outs in the inning
Brandon Hernandez came up with a clutch RBI single to left field to drive in the Falcons first run. Hernandez then advanced to second base on the throw. Next up was
Alante Uribe who slapped a double to the left-centerfield gap to bring in the second run of the inning.
Brandon Barker kept it rolling with a single thatjust squeaked past a diving second basemen to make it a three run third inning for the Falcons.
Scotty Ingle got things going for West Hills in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single to left field.
Matt Siedem then took a base on balls to put runners at first and second for
Evan Richards. Richards smacked a single to left field to drive in Ingle and make the score 4-3 in favor of the Falcons.
In the sixth inning the Tigers we able to cross another run to tie the ballgame. With two outs in the inning Reedley had back-to-back singles followed by two base on balls to cross its fourth run of the day.
It was in the late innings that WHCC was able to widen its lead. With two outs in the seventh inning Uribe singled through the right side and Barker earned a base on balls to bring up
Jeff Torres. Torres came up and laced a base hit to right field to score Uribe and make the score 5-4 in favor of West Hills.
A leadoff walk, a Reedley bobble, and a hity pitch loaded the bases for Uribe. With two outs in the inning Uribe roped a single up the middle that scored Richards and
Trent Bollman to made WHCC lead now 7-4.
It was right-handed
Jaret Olson that would close the game out for coach McGovern. Olson earned the save and allowed only one hit in his two innings of work. In the ninth inning Reedley was able to put two runners on base, but came up short to give West Hills the game three victory.
Final: West Hills 7 – Reedley 4
Next up: West Hills will play host to Cerro Coso on Tuesday, March 14th at Keith Scrivner field in Coalinga. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
For the latest on Falcons baseball, including news and score updates, follow @whcbaseball on Twitter.
Series Recap:
Game 1: West Hills 2 – Reedley 4 - Keith Skrivner Field
Game 2: West Hills 0 – Reedley 5 - Reedley, CA
Game 3: West Hills 7 – Reedley 4 – Keith Skrivner Field