SAINTS WALK IT OFF IN EXTRA INNINGS

PASADENA, CA- The Arroyo Seco Saints (8-15) triumph over the Walnut Creek Crawdads (18-6) 7-6 in an electric extra innings walkoff on July 8th. 

Sean Asperger (Undecided) walked it off with a RBI single in the intensifying tenth inning. Carson Panarisi (Cal State Los Angeles) executed a sacrifice bunt to advance the ghost runner to third. The Saints have been working on this play all season, and the benefits were showcased in late game heroics. 

Edwin Segovia (Azusa Pacific University) took the mound for the Saints. Through five innings, Segovia struck out two and gave up five runs. Segovia had a quality start, with three scoreless innings; opening with back-to-back 1-2-3 punch outs. 

The Crawdads got on the board first, scoring three runs in the fourth. 

The Saints responded with a run of their own. Panarisi drove in Brayden Flores (Loyola Marymount University) after he singled.

A hit by pitch, single and walk loaded the bases in the sixth inning. Sean Asperger's (Undecided) sacrifice fly scored another Saint run. 

With the bases loaded, the Saints were able to capitalize by putting them ahead with four runs in the seventh inning. Flores drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Jacob Freer (Santa Clara University). Zach Leite (Old Dominion University) hit a bases clearing double to put the Saints ahead 6-5.

Coming off of the CCL All Star game, Leite returns to his familiar place in the Saints lineup. He remarked his mentality behind his hit, "It felt good to get the boys ahead, just got a good pitch, put a good swing on it, grateful for that."

Walnut Creek took this thrilling matchup to extra innings by responding with a game tying hit, evening the board at 6-6. 

Winning pitcher Andrew Miller (Azusa Pacific University) dominated on the mound as relief, leading the Saints to a shoutout tenth. Pitching three innings, striking out four Crawdads. 

Miller explained what pitches were working for him, as reflected in the two broken bats, "The fastball, felt like I was getting good extension and getting it by guys." 

The energy was high when Miller struck out two Crawdads in the tense last inning. He shared what this win felt like, "It was a fun one. I was glad we were able to walk it off, and couldn't be happier." 

The Saints rematch the Crawdads tomorrow at Jackie Robinson Field, with first pitch scheduled at 5:35. 

Contributors:

• Saints Reporter: Cynthia Fausto (University of California Irvine)

• Saints Photographer: Aaliyah Alamillo (University of La Verne)