The Palm Springs POWER erased an early 2-0 deficit and outlasted the Arroyo Seco Saints 8-4 Saturday night at Palm Springs Stadium.
The Saints sent eight men to the plate in the first inning, but scored only two runs, on a double off the bat of Chris DeVito. POWER starter Jackson McClelland (2-0) struck out David Sanchez to end the inning with the bases loaded.
The POWER (16-1, 6-1) would answer in their first chances at the plate. Brett Sullivan doubled leading off the bottom of the first inning and scored on T.J. Bennett’s groundout.
Palm Springs added run in the second inning on an RBI groundout by Michael Massi, and another in the third on a Bennett single to take a 3-2 lead.
The POWER broke the game open in the fourth inning, scoring five time against Saints reliever Andrew Frakes. Ryan Jones, C.J. Reed, and Massi singled to begin the inning, with Jones scoring on Massi’s line drive. Sullivan then walked before Jared Theisen brought home a run with a sacrifice fly. After T.J. Bennett was hit by a pitch, Anthony Lombardo singled to drive in Massi and Sullivan. Jake Howeth followed with an infield single to bring Bennett home and make it an 8-2 game.
McClelland overcame his first inning woes and didn’t face more than four batters the rest of the way. The Pepperdine freshman tossed five innings, surrendering two earned runs of four hits. He walked three and struck out a season-high six while retiring the last seven batters he faced.
Edgar Gomez, a dominant relief pitcher for the POWER in 2012, made his 2013 debut and pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The POWER return to the field Sunday to take on the OC Waves at 7:05pm. The first 200 fans through the gates will receive a free POWER T-shirt. Fans that can’t make it to the game can listen online at pspbb.com.
