Orange Rallies Past Blue Once Again, 11-3
11/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MALIBU, Calif. - An errant throw by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt sparked a four-run fifth inning for Orange in its 11-3 victory over Blue in game two of Pepperdine's Blue and Orange World Series.
With runners at first second, sophomore designated hitter Ryan Van Amburg (Campbell, Calif./St. Francis HS) bunted a ball back toward the mound, from where freshman reliever Alex Najera (Anaheim Hills, Calif./Canyon HS) made a hurried throw to first after glancing at each of the two lead runners.
The second baseman was slightly late covering the bag, but the throw still sailed wide of his mitt and deep into the bullpen. Both runners easily scored to give Orange its first lead at 4-3, while Van Amburg motored all the way to third base.
Orange tacked on two more runs that frame via back-to-back RBI singles by freshmen Jordan Luvisi (Scottsdale, Ariz./Notre Dame Prep HS) and Zach Vincej (Saugus, Calif./Saugus HS).
Luvisi finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
Orange went on to score three more times in the sixth thanks to a Miles Silverstein (Bell Canyon, Calif./Calabasas HS) solo home run and a two-run double off the bat of Torrey Jacoby (Scottsdale, Ariz./Notre Dame Prep HS).
Then, in the ninth, Orange scored twice following a throwing error by the right fielder and an Aaron Gates (Villa Park, Calif./Orange Lutheran HS) RBI single.
Blue finished the game with three errors and have made four through the first two games of the series.
Earlier in the game Blue jumped out to leads of 1-0 and 3-1, receiving a leadoff homer from freshman Joe Sever (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory) in the first and a two-run bomb from senior catcher Trent Diedrich (Fresno, Calif./Bullard HS). Both round trippers were hit off Orange starter Robert Dickmann (Woodland Hills, Calif./Notre Dame HS), who is trying to return to the Waves' starting rotation following a injury shortened 2009.
Dickmann struck out four in 4.2 innings pitched and walked two. He was followed to the mound by redshirt freshman and winning pitcher Ricky Villarreal (Edinburg, Texas/Edinburg HS) and junior Matt Bywater (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks HS).
Villarreal made his second appearance of the series and pitched a scoreless inning and a third. Bywater earned the save with six strikeouts over the final three innings.
Redshirt sophomore Cole Cook (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades Charter HS) started for Blue and lasted 3.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five. Najera was tagged with the loss and struck out three.
The Blue and Orange World Series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. with Gates matching up against newcomer Cory Jones (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS).
