Drifters Overcome Four-Run Deficit Against Bells, Winning in Extras 9-8
Austin Takahashi slides into home plate safely to score the winning run in the bottom of the 10th to give the Drifters a 9-8 win over the Bellingham Bells on June 6th. Photo by Adon Eccles
By: Dillon Zamperin
SPRINGFIELD — Down to their final strike, Springfield Drifters (2-6, 1-5) shortstop Jaycob Villalpando took a long walk around home plate before stepping back into the box. Villalpando faced a 1-2 count in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs, trailing the Bellingham Bells (4-4, 3-3) by one, with speedster Kahaku Harrison pinch running at second base.
Villalpando hit a grounder to the left side, deflecting off the third baseman and shortstop, scoring Harrison and defying all odds after an original four-run deficit.
After senior right-hander Kaden Harris allowed an unearned run in the top of the tenth, the bases were loaded in the bottom of the tenth for third baseman Nick Gimino. Gimino hit an RBI bunt sinhle to the right side on a suicide squeeze attempt, scoring the tying run and setting the table for LJ Layhew. However, before Layhew could even swing the bat, a wild pitch allowed Austin Takahashi to score the winning run in a miraculous 9-8 comeback win for the Drifters second win of the season.
“The guys are really starting to buy into each other and playing for each other and not just themselves,” Head Coach Jeff Lyle said. “To watch our team pull up by the bootstraps and battle and get back into that game, it’s a very positive note for me.”
After a tough 12-inning loss to the Bells on Friday night, the Drifters came into Saturday’s game with a fire lit beneath them as they hit their way back into the game, winning by one run in extras. The victory was set in stone behind a dominant start from Tristan Jennings, a three-run blast from Colton Perez and a walk-off wild pitch scoring Takahashi to close out one of the best games in Drifters history.
The win also broke a three-game losing streak for Springfield and now gives the Drifters an opportunity to win their first series of the year in a rubber match on Sunday.
Despite walking the first two batters of the game, Jennings settled in quickly, escaping the first inning with just one run allowed. The right-handed redshirt freshman from Hawaii Pacific, who pitched two innings in Wednesday’s loss and started in centerfield on Friday, completed 4.2 innings on Saturday, allowing one hit and striking out five on just 59 pitches.
“For him to come out on a fireworks night, with good crowds and good energy, I know the heart was beating real bad, and we told him, ‘So what? Go out, leave it all on the field and see what happens,’” Lyle said. “We got a good one.”
In junior Cade Schumard’s second appearance with Springfield, the left-hander struggled mightily, giving up six runs, four earned, in just 1.1 innings. The pinnacle of the left-hander’s outing was the three-run home run he allowed to Bells catcher Jake Lyall during a six-run sixth inning for the Bells.
Junior Tristan Ledbetter from Umpqua Community College threw the next three innings, ending his outing in the ninth. The right-hander came out of the bullpen for the second time this season, firing three commanding innings and allowing no runs on only two hits while striking out two on an efficient 37 pitches. This appearance marks his first since starting the first five innings of the shutout on Tuesday night.
“He wanted the ball. Coach Styles asked him for one inning tonight, and we got more,” Lyle said.
The Drifters scored a season-high nine runs at Hamlin Sports Complex in the win. Springfield created a high amount of traffic on the basepaths, with a runner reaching base in every inning but the first.
“When we were down 7-3, all I heard in the dugout was talking about passing the baton,” Lyle said. “That is the actual key; that’s what we talk about every day. Trying to get as many guys to the plate as possible, whether we score a run or not. I thought we did a very good job tonight of staying in the zone and making pitchers throw strikes to beat us.”
For Perez, his last appearance came on the mound in Tuesday’s shutout victory, throwing in the sixth and seventh innings. In Saturday’s game at the plate, he recorded one walk and one hit, smashing the Drifters’ first home run of the season.
“Huge for him, huge for us,” Lyle said. “Seeing his eyes light up and seeing the payoff and the results, that was huge.”
Takahashi, the redshirt junior left fielder of Lane Community College, had an extremely productive night at the plate, reaching in four of six plate appearances. He recorded two singles, two walks and the winning run in his best game as a Drifter.
Despite not playing in Friday’s game, Villalpando became one of the heroes of Saturday’s game, driving in the game-tying run in the ninth and recording his first hit since May 30. The junior from Fresno City College also scored the game-tying run in the tenth.
“It’s what we’ve been talking about since day one of ‘put the ball in play.’ He looked at me, and he pounded his chest with the two strikes, and that meant ‘I got this,’” Lyle said. “He was locked in. He was going to put the ball in play, and that’s all we’ve ever asked, is compete, don’t give at-bats away, and that’s exactly what he did. He was rewarded for it.”
The thrilling game concluded with a beautiful fireworks show, the first fireworks night of three this season.
The Drifters will close out their current six-game homestand on Sunday afternoon against the Bells at Hamlin Sports Complex, with the Drifters looking to win their first series of the year. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.
Come out to the ballpark on Sunday to celebrate Touch-a-Truck Night. Participate in a hands-on, family-friendly experience exploring the big rigs and vehicles in our community and learn from our local heroes who drive them. Vehicles include Springfield and Eugene Police Cars, Springfield and Eugene Fire Trucks, SWAT/Bomb Unit, Drones, and K9 Units.
Tickets for Sunday’s game can be bought online at Driftersbaseball.com. The game will be streamed on the Springfield Drifters YouTube Channel.