Jags outlast Patriots, take double-header, 4-3 and 1-0

After dropping a 14-11 walk-off game at Hillcrest previously, Northridge had enough left in the tank in the bottom of the 11th inning to take a 4-3 win in Game 1 of a double-header at The Ridge on Thursday. In Game 2, the Jags scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the first and held on for the 1-0 win.

In the bottom of the first inning in Game 1, the Jags got a lead off single from Mayson Elam. Kyle Nunnally sacrificed Elam to second and Milo Obradovich’s grounder to short moved Elam to third. Jack Sanderson singled to left to score Elam. That was the only run of the inning, but it gave the Jags a 1-0 lead.

The scoreboard runs blocks were idle for the second inning. The Patriots posted their first run on the board in the top of the third, to tie the game at 1-1.

Northridge answered in the bottom of the fourth. Sanderson drew a walk, then stole second. Thomas Woolf and Anthony Messina followed Sanderson by drawing walks to load the bases. Evan Malone sacrificed to center and Sanderson tagged up and scored, putting the Jags back on top, 2-1.

Hillcrest posted another single run in the top of the seventh to tie the game again, at 2-2. The Jags were unable to score in the bottom of the inning, leading to some free baseball at The Ridge.

After neither team could plate a run for three innings, Hillcrest took the lead on a homerun in the top of the 11th inning. Obradovich led off by getting on via an error by the Patriots. Sanderson drew a walk on four straight pitches, moving Obradovich to second. Woolf laid down a bunt and was safe at first, due to an error. Obradovich scored the tying run and Sanderson moved to third, with Woolf making it to second. A grounder to short ended Sanderson’s time on the basepath, but moved Woolf to third. Malone was put on at first, to set up a potential double play. Two pitches later, Woolf scored the game winning run on a wild pitch by Hillcrest. The Jags took the 4-3 win.

Sanderson, Woolf and Cade Senn collected two hits each for the Jags. Elam picked up one hit. Elam, Obradovich, Sanderson and Woolf scored one run each. Sanderson and Malone were credited with one RBI each.

Woolf completed 6-1/3 innings on the mound, striking out four and walking four. Woolf spaced out five hits and surrendered one earned run. Messina came on in relief, covering 4-2/3 innings, while striking out one and walking one. Of the eight hits surrendered by Messina, he only gave up one run and picked up the win.

Game 2 seemed to show signs of the wear-and-tear of Game 1, with only one run being scored – and that was in the bottom of the first inning, by the Jags. Elam led the Jags off with a single and promptly stole second, three pitches later. After two outs, Sanderson singled to center to score Elam from second. That would be the Jags only run of the inning and only run of the game, for either team.

Neither team could put together anything to light up the scoreboard for the next 5-1/2 innings and the Jags took the 1-0 victory.

Nunnally and Sanderson collected two hits each for the Jags in Game 2. Elam, Woolf and Malone picked up one hit each, to give the Jags seven total hits (the same as Game 1). Elam scored the lone run of the game and Sanderson had the lone RBI.

Malone went the distance for Northridge, striking out 11 and walking only one. Malone gave up two hits, and most importantly, did not surrender a run.