4/12/19 Baseball: Vista 7, El Camino 5
The Vista Panthers and El Camino Wildcats had the opportunity to play a game at The Home of the San Diego Padres, Petco Park, on Friday afternoon. While both teams soaked in on all the festivities that come with playing in a big league ballpark, there was still a game to be played.
In the end, The Panthers outlasted El Camino, winning 7-5 in a back-and-forth battle between these 2 bitter North County and Avocado East rivals.
The Wildcats jumped out to the 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning when Nick Hettinger crossed the plate on Erik Larson’s RBI single. Hettinger had tripled with 2 outs.
The Panthers took the lead in the 4th inning. Troy Grossman singled and was pinch-ran by Colby Rafail. Rafail stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a balk, and scored on a wild pitch. Jonathan Nuñez walked and scored on Drake Buffington’s RBI Double.
They extended that lead in the top of the 5th inning, when David Ayala’s RBI triple brought in Daniel Ramirez and Evan Stauch. Ayala would later score on Grossman’s RBI single.
El Camino got within a run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Matt Ortiz singled home Levi Hall, a pick-off play gone wrong scored another run for the Wildcats, and Cole Rebensdorf singled home Ortiz with the 3rd run of the inning.
Vista got some insurance runs in the top of the 7th inning. Stauch scored on an error and Ayala scored on a beautiful bunt single by Jonathon Nunez.
Vista’s Nate Daniels went 5 innings, struck out 4, allowed 4 runs on 8 hits. Ayala ended the day going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.
