Warriors Win Wild Game in Walkoff Fashion

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College scored in every inning after the fourth including a run in the bottom of the ninth to score a 6-5 walk-off victory over College of the Desert on Saturday afternoon at Warrior Field.

Slater Nunez experienced the peaks and valleys of the game of baseball over the course of an inning. The Warriors' sophomore came in to close the game in the top of the ninth after the Warriors had taken a 5-4 lead in the eighth. But Malakai Lopez blasted an offering from the Warriors' closer over the fence in right-center to knot the game back up at 5-5.

But Nunez would get the last word in the bottom of the inning as he stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out with a chance to secure the win for ECC with his bat. He would deliver with his fourth hit of the day, smacking an RBI single through the left side of the infield to plate pinch-runner Kelvin Martinez with the game-winning run and give the Warriors the 6-5 lead.

Nunez finished the day 4-for-6 with a run scored and two RBIs. He also picked up his first win of the season on the mound.

The game started slow for the Warriors as they watched the Roadrunners build a 3-0 lead through four innings while the ECC offense mustered just two hits in that span off COD starter Javier Vasquez.

But Dylan Mares put an end to the offensive drought with a two-out, two-run double to right-center to trim the deficit to 3-2.

The Warriors would go on to score in every inning after that with Nunez tying the game in the sixth on an RBI single through the left side, nearly mirroring his eventual game-winning hit.

The Roadrunners took their final lead in the seventh as Brandon Leon scored from third on a dropped third strike. Warriors catcher Nathan Rivera threw the ball to first to record the out and Leon broke for the plate on the throw. Mares' throw back to the plate was late as Leon slid head first to sneak in under the tag and give COD a 4-3 lead.

Mares made sure that didn't last as he blasted a leadoff home run off reliever Victor Estrada in the bottom of the inning to tie things up 4-4. It was Mares' third homer of the season. He would finish the day 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBIs.

In the eighth, the Warriors took the lead, twice. Nathan Rivera stepped up with the bases loaded and two outs in the inning and hit what was initially ruled a grand slam home run over the left-field foul pole to give ECC an 8-4 lead.

But the umpires held a conference after the play and ruled the ball went foul, sending Rivera back to the plate with the score tied 4-4 again.

The Warriors catcher would still come up clutch, drawing a walk to force in the go-ahead run and give ECC a one-run lead heading into the eventful ninth inning.

Dane Rhodes went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Gavin Sanchez tossed two solid innings of relief with Jett Lim adding a scoreless frame in the eighth.

The Warriors will now open South Coast Conference action as they take on Compton for a three-game series. Game one will be at Compton on Tuesday with first pitch set for 2 p.m.