Orange Crushes Blue in Game One, 11-2
11/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MALIBU, Calif. - Sophomore Chris Amezquita's (La Mirada, Calif./UCLA) eighth-inning leadoff home run marked the start of an 11-run, 11-hit attack for the Orange Team in its 11-2 victory over the Blue Team Thursday at Eddy D. Field Stadium during Game One of the three-game Blue and Orange World Series.
Amezquita's blast over the right field wall was later followed by five run-scoring singles as well as a bases-loaded double by rookie outfielder Zach Vincej (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS). The Orange Team sent 15 men to the plate in the eighth and all but two reached base.
Amezquita was one of three Orange players with a multi-hit afternoon along with sophomore catcher Nate Johnson (Camarillo, Calif./Camarillo HS) and freshman infielder Chris Vasquez (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro HS). Johnson went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a runner caught stealing, while Vasquez went 2-for-3 with an RBI single and run scored.
Prior to the eighth inning, the Orange offense was held in check by junior starter Keven Inman (Bakersfield, Calif./Garces HS) and rookie reliever Brian McIlhenny (Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Preparatory).
Inman worked the first five innings, struck out two, and allowed four baserunners. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth after catcher Trent Diedrich (Fresno, Calif./Bullard HS) stepped on home plate following a strikeout/wild pitch of outfielder Mike Hole (Vancouver, B.C./Saint Georges School).
McIlhenny faced eight batters over two frames and surrendered just two hits.
Freshman Jordan Luvisi (Scottsdale, Ariz./Notre Dame Prep HS) won the game with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief, which followed a decent starting performance from fellow newcomer Daniel Patrick (Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter HS). In 4.2 innings, Patrick struck out a game-high five batters and gave up two runs on four hits.
The Blue Team went up 1-0 in the second inning on junior college transfer Floyd Given's (Rohnert Park, Calif./Sacramento City College) RBI ground out to second, and later took a 2-0 lead in the fifth on sophomore Tyler Brubaker's (Valencia, Calif./Saugus HS) single to center. Senior third baseman Colin Rooney (Yorba Linda, Calif./Saddleback College) scored both runs as part of a 2-for-2 afternoon.
Redshirt freshman Ricky Villarreal (Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg HS) finished the game for Orange by striking out the side.
Game's two and three of the Blue and Orange World Series are both scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Pepperdine's Eddy D. Field Stadium.
