The boys baseball team continued its winning streak to remain undefeated in league play after an 8-7 victory over Newbury Park Adventist on Thursday.
But the game started out slowly for the Spuds.
At the bottom of the fourth inning, the Newbury Park Gators were up 5-0. Due to two balks by Newbury’s pitcher, the Spuds earned two runs in the top of the fifth inning, and in the sixth inning scored another run.
By the top of the seventh inning, the Gators were up 6-3. With only one inning left, the OVS players knew they needed to put all of their effort into scoring. And score they did.
“They knew this was their last chance, and they rallied together for an impressive all out ‘here’s everything we’ve got’ effort,” said coach Doug Colborn. “It was like one of those exciting hero movies where you knew the guys you are rooting for would miraculously prevail.”
After sophomore Tyler Davis hit the ball to the shortstop, allowing junior Nolan Colborn to score, the team members and spectators cheered on senior Shotaro Yamamura and freshman Adrian Ortiz who were poised and ready on third and first bases.
With only one out and still needing to score two runs, junior Niklas Weckerle strode up to home plate while everyone held their breath. Remarkably, Niklas hit an incredible home run, sending Shotaro, Tyler, and himself back home to score three runs.
The crowd went wild. The players leapt up onto their feet, jumping and cheering, stirring up clouds of dust into the air. The fans were just as ecstatic, all standing up and applauding the spectacular moment.
“When I made contact I just started running without looking and at first I looked at it thinking I got a single, but I saw it go past the center fielder so I ran again,” Niklas said of his first ever home run. “I felt great because I knew that’s what the team needed.”
This was an incredible feat for the baseball team, for they proved to themselves that with their own determination and hard work they could make an epic comeback.
Although the Spuds were now up 8-6 (with another run from freshman Derek Mendoza), they knew they still needed to put everything they had into the bottom of the last inning, for they were out of time to score any more runs.
Nolan started the inning at the mound and made the first out by catching a pop fly ball, but the game was rounded off by an incredible pitching performance from Tyler Davis.
Newbury scored one additional run, but the last two outs were earned by Tyler, striking out the second batter and making a play to first base on the third batter.
After making the final out, the team stormed the field, hoisting Tyler up above their heads and pumping fists into the air.
“When he called me in in the last inning I was so surprised yet I was happy to have the chance to finish the game. I wasn’t very nervous I just thought of it as any other inning,” recalled Tyler of the moment he was put back in as pitcher. “I am very proud of the team’s performance in the end. We knew what was our job and we executed it.
All in all, this game was nail-biting, nerve-racking, and extremely rewarding. The boys proved that they were able to comeback from being in a tough situation, and reminded everyone of the pride and camaraderie that comes with being a part of a team.
“This was a game that we will all remember,” commented Mr. Colborn. “We experienced the entire gamut of emotions with the ultimate reward.”
The boys next game will be Friday against Summit View School.