Rustlers Earn First Conference Victory Over Hornets

Huntington Beach, CA - Golden West baseball (13-5, 1-0 OEC) won their first conference game against the Fullerton Hornets (12-7, 0-1 OEC), 7-2 . 

Golden West welcomed the Fullerton Hornets at Fred Hoover Field for the first conference game of the season on a beautiful day in Huntington Beach. The two twelve win teams looked to make an impact in their first Orange Empire Conference showing. Fullerton began the afternoon as the No. 15 squad in Southern California as the Rustlers landed No. 9 in SoCal. 

Though the Rustlers suffered a base runner in scoring position from an error, Dante Jackson got out of the first inning unharmed. Golden West looked to damage the scoreboard early and often for their first OEC appearance. Kaleb Duncan led off the offensive with a high deep double down the left field line to the warning track. However, the 2-4 hitters were unable to score him. Jackson jumped back on the mound and threw his saucer of a slider as he struck out two in the top of the second. 

A lefty lefty crime occurred when Andrew Kirchner roped a line drive to the left center warning track and hustled around the bases for a one out triple. With the infield back, Robert Castillo did his job with a fielder's choice ground out to score the first run of the game, 1-0. The Hornets got their first hits of the afternoon in the game in three third with two leadoff knocks. Runners at the corners and one out, R. Castillo made a great back handed stab to start an inning ending 6-4-3 double play to help his pitcher and team get out of the jam.

Golden West kept the momentum from the prior frame as the team was able to score three times. Zech Samayoa worked a walk and chugged around the bases to touch home when Ayden Garcia ripped a double into the gap, 2-0. Dylan Lina stepped up to the plate and blasted the ball over the high left field wall for a two-run home run, 4-0. Jackson would help himself out in the fifth as he started a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning and stop the Hornet's offensive threat. 

The Rustlers managed to tally two more runs in the fifth from two out swinging. Bases full and two outs, Dennis Fitzpatrick laced a single to left field for a two-RBI knock, 6-0. On the mound for the Rustlers, Jackson continued to shove with efficiency and strikeouts through six frames. At shortstop, R Castillo aided his starting pitcher with another back handed stab and long throw to first for the out of the inning. Fullerton threatened in the sixth inning when the Hornets found the scoreboard for two runs, 6-2. 

The home team responded in the bottom of the seventh with a run. R. Castillo squared around for a drag bunt with a runner on second. In an aggressive base running decision, Kirchner ran all the way home as R. Castillo recorded an RBI drag bunt single, 7-2. To end the eight, Jack Salmon defied the sun as he was able to dive and catch a line drive hit right at him. Alex Ramos came in to close out the game and fooled a Hornets baserunner with a clever pick off to finish the game in the ninth, 7-2. 

Kirchner had an incredible day at the plate as he reached in every appearance as he went 4-4 with three runs scored. Fitzpatrick went 2-3 with two RBIs and a walk. Lina went yard for his one hit on the day with two RBIs and Garcia touched home twice with his hit and two walks. Starting pitcher, Jackson had an incredible day as he went 6.0 scoreless frames with five strikeouts. Elias Valdez came in for relief and Ramos shut the door in his 3.0 innings pitched with five strikeouts. Golden West had a successful day as both the bats and defense excelled in their first conference win of the season. 

UP NEXT: The Rustlers will continue their three-game series against the Hornets at Fullerton on Thursday, March 7th. First pitch will be at 2pm.