PALM SPRINGS, Calif.- Tonight the POWER played a marvelous game for the 4th of July. Starting on the mound tonight for the Palm Springs POWER was the ever-so–crafty Jumpei Akanuma. Jumpei was lights-out as he pitched five solid innings, giving up an unearned run off of four hits. He also struck out 11 Southern Nevada hitters. He was not credited with the win as POWER relief pitcher Cameron Neff was on the bump when the POWER scored their runs. Neff would come in to relieve for the POWER in the sixth inning and would put together two solid innings in which he only gave up two hits while tallying three strikeouts. Neff was replaced by newcomer Payton Lobdell (Hope International) who only threw one inning in which he gave up one hit.
It was a 1-0 lead for Southern Nevada until the 8th inning when the POWER took control. The POWER had a three-run 8th to put them up 3-1 going into the 9th. The POWER started off the inning with a fly out to left field but that did not matter to Colby Schultz as he would deliver a one-out triple. John Mauldin would then step into the batter’s box with Schultz on third. John would then deliver the POWER’s first run of the ballgame with an RBI single. The runs did not stop there as Andrew Brown would reach on a fielder’s choice. Right after Brown reached, Brock Hale then delivered a single. Taylor Grace would then step in and stroke a two-run double to put the POWER up 3-1 going into the 9th inning.
To close out the game the POWER went to Josh Tedeschi but did not see the results they wanted. Tedeschi started off the ninth inning with a two-run lead and would give up back-to-back doubles to Southern Nevada’s three-hole and the clean-up hitter, David Modler and Bronson Bowe. Bowe had an RBI double to knock in Modler and right after that double the POWER had a throwing error in the infield on a routine ground ball that would score Bowe all the way from second to tie the ballgame 3-3.
Gabe Gentner recorded the final two outs in the top of the ninth and picked up the win thanks to some late-inning heroics.
The stage was then set for the POWER to win in walk-off fashion on America’s birthday. The POWER started off the 9th inning with a walk by David Posas who was then moved over from first base to second off a sacrifice bunt by Kobie Foppe. Colby Schultz would then reach on a walk right after the sac bunt. That would then bring up John Mauldin with runners on first and second in which Mauldin delivered the walk-off single to move the POWER’s record to 18-6 on the year.
The POWER are back in action tomorrow night at 7:05 pm against Southern Nevada Collegiate Baseball Team for game two of the three-game series.
– Alex Moore
