PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Michigan State third baseman Taylor Grace approached the plate with two runners on looking to give his team a chance as the POWER were down 5-1 entering the ninth. He would double home both David Posas (Mercer) and Tyler Laporte (Baton Rouge CC) as the POWER put up a valiant effort to attempt the late-inning comeback.
Brock Hale started things off with a lead-off walk from Bomber reliever Donavin Buck. Hale would steal second and take third on an errant throw, then took home following a passed ball to get things going for the POWER. Kaleb Foster (Nevada Reno) and Tyler Laporte would walk back-to-back, which cued SoCal Bombers closer Daniel Sandoval to enter the game to try and shut the door. John Mauldin (Baton Rouge CC) would come up in a spot that was meant for the hottest hitter on the team and was a few feet away from ending the game on a first pitch hanging breaking ball that the Bombers’ left fielder Jimmy Smith was able to get under right at the warning track, ending the game 5-4.
POWER starter Matt Acosta (Riverside City College) would go 3 2/3 innings striking out three, walking one and allowing five runs. It was a tough outing for the big righty’s third start of the year, but it was a tough task regardless as the Bombers were hitting over .350 as a team heading into the contest. Brian Menendez (UNLV), Alex Strizak (Loyola Marymount) and Josh Tedeschi (Utah) combined for 5 1/3 innings, allowed three hits total and struck out five to stop the bleeding after going down 5-0 early in the game.
David Posas went 2-for-4 with a walk, stolen base and a run scored, easily the most effective hitter on the team today as Bombers’ starting pitcher Brennon Covington kept the POWER hitters in fits this evening, going 6 2/3 innings, striking out five and only allowing a run on four hits in an impressive showing.
The POWER drop their first conference game of the season and will look to get back to their winning ways as they play the second game of their two-game set tomorrow night at 7:05. The POWER invite their fans to come out to Palm Springs Stadium as Desert Air presents Saturday Kids’ Day at the ballpark, where all kids 12 and under get in for just $2!
