12 INNING WALK-OFF DOOZY

The Hornets claimed the second game of the three-game OEC series against No. 11 Riverside City College with a 12-inning 8-7 walk-off win on Thursday.

It was a good home-win for Fullerton, who had lost yesterday at RCC 14-7. 

Facing last season's Orange Empire Conference "Pitcher of the Year", FC's Britton Beeson opened up some eyes with a two-run monster shot that nearly burned through the left field net.

In the top of the fourth, 2022 OEC Player of the Year Matt Bardowell clapped back for the Tigers hitting a solo laser-shot into the left field net.

Up 2-1 heading into the fourth inning, FC added three more runs for 5-1 advantage. Landon Runge hit a single that got through the right-side scoring Isaiah Marquez. Jared Benash knocked a single to right center platin Runge and Haku Dudoit.

Riverside got a couple runs back in the fifth inning when Robert Phelps scored on a wild pitch. Beau Betten then singled on a bunt, but an error by the Hornets allowed Derek Hurtado to come home from second.

The Hornets made it 6-3 in the sixth thanks to Tank Espalin's rip up the middle that gave Niko Santamaria the chance to come home.

Another FC error allowed two runs for the Tigers in the seventh inning, but Haku Dudoit answered the call in the next frame when he popped a single center field scoring Elie Kligman.

Down 7-5 heading into the ninth, RCC did not pack it in as the team pushed across two runs to tie the game up. Casey Murray, Jr hit a single to right field plating Anthony Gibbons. Sebastian Flores hit one hard through right side that allowed Murray Jr. to come home.

Going into extra innings, the game remained a 7-7 tie, until the bottom of the twelfth when Elie Kligman got on with a line-drive single to center field. Taking over at first base, Ryan Kirk came in to pinch run for Kligman. Isaiah Marquez came up next grounding out on a sacrifice-bunt giving Kirk the opportunity to use his speed to take second and then stretch it to third. On next at-bat, Haku Dudoit hit a sacrifice-fly to mid-center field that gave Kirk the chance to come home for the game winner.

Vincent Segovia (1-0) earned the win throwing an inning with 1 hit allowed, 1 walk, and had 2 strikeouts. Masen McDonnell got the start going 5.2 innings with 6 hits against, 2 earned runs, 5 walks, and had 6 strikeouts.

FC catcher Haku Dudoit was outstanding behind the dish throwing out five runners on the day.

Up Next: Fullerton (19-17 overall, 7-10 OEC) will finish the series at Riverside City on Saturday, April 22nd. The first pitch goes out at 12:00 pm.