POWER catcher Austin Barrett delivered three hits, including the decisive home run, to lead Palm Springs over the So Cal Catch 6-4 Tuesday night at Palm Springs Stadium.
The POWER (24-2, 9-2) opened the scoring in the second inning. Regan Fowler led off with a single and scored on Barrett’s double for a 1-0 lead.
The Catch (12-15) answered in the fourth inning, grabbing the lead on Tyler Harris’ two-run homer, the first home run surrendered by POWER pitching this season. The POWER pitching staff’s scoreless streak came to an end at 29 1/3 innings with the runs.
The game advanced into the middle innings tied at three, when both teams would squander opportunities.
The Catch loaded the bases with no one out in the sixth inning, but POWER reliever Mark Lukowski would strike out Nick Linne and induce a ground-ball double-play off the bat Austin Kaiser to end the inning.
The POWER loaded the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning, but also failed to score. Michael Massi popped out and Brett Sullivan grounded out to end the threat. Massi finished 0-for-4 and saw his ten game hitting streak snapped.
Palm Springs grabbed the lead in the seventh inning, capitalizing on a So Cal error. With Ryan Raslowsky at second base, T.J. Bennett hit a high fly ball down the left-field line. Catch outfielder Jarrett James raced over, but had the ball glance off his glove and fall into play. Raslowsky scored to give the POWER a 4-3 lead.
The score remained 4-3 into the bottom of the eighth inning, when Barrett muscled his second home run of the season to center field, scoring Eric Urry with the blast. Barrett finished 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run, and four runs driven in.
The homer would prove to be the game winning hit, as the Catch clawed back with one run in the ninth.
After Jonathon Munoz singled home Neil DeCook to draw within 6-4, POWER closer Pete Reyes struck out Connor Smith and Harris with the tying runs on base to end the game. Reyes earned his fourth save for the effort.
Mark Lukowski (2-0) picked up the win, throwing three innings of scoreless relief while striking out five. Billy Kirkpatrick (0-1) took the loss, allowing one unearned run in two innings.
The POWER return to the field Wednesday to take on the LA Brewers at 7:05pm. It will be Dollar Admission Wednesday, with general admission tickets just $1. Fans that can’t make it to the game can listen online at pspbb.com.
