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It doesn't matter how long you have the lead in a baseball game, it only matters who's in front at the end of the last inning.
The Branham Bruins learned that lesson the hard way on March 9 against Westmont when the Warriors came from behind in the bottom of the sixth to defeat the Bruins 8-6 in action in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
Westmont, 1-3 in division play, started from behind after giving up two to Branham in the top of the first, but the Warriors scored three in the bottom of the first to take the lead. Branham tied the game in the top of the third and then took the lead in the fourth with two more. Westmont got one back in the bottom of the fifth, but the Bruins extended the lead again in the top of the sixth. Westmont's bats came back to life in the bottom of the sixth when the Warriors rallied for four runs to ultimately the win.
Corey Gazay led the Westmont offense, going 2 for 3, knocking in two runs and scoring one himself. Behind him were a host of Warriors with a hit each. Steven Brady was 1 for 3 with a pair of RBIs, Matt Medeiros was 1 for 2 with 2 RBIs and D.J. Jackman was 1 for 2 and knocked in a run. Ryan Kanzaki, Doug Molseed, Kelly Peterson and Dan Scanlan each had a hit in the win.
Kyle McDonald was the winning pitcher for Westmont, allowing nine hits and striking out four, while Medeiros came in and got a save with two strikeouts and no hits.
The Warriors split their two games with the Bruins after an 8-7 loss to Branham on March 8, and they almost had the same result in the first game. Westmont battled back in the top of the seventh with a five-run inning, but it wasn't enough to top the Bruins.
Kanzaki and Peterson each had a pair of hits while Medeiros and Molseed had one each. Gazay drove in one of the seven runs for Westmont, Medeiros and Scanlan both had two RBIs and Molseed had one.
The Warriors also fell to Oak Grove 6-5 on March 6 despite great hitting from Steven Brady, who was 3 for 3 on the day with an RBI. Jackman singled and drove in two runs, Peterson had a hit and two runs scored, and Molseed and Gazey each doubled and scored a run.
Del Mar has been holding its own in the early stages of the Santa Teresa Division season. The Dons defeated Independence on March 10, 11-5. The Dons rallied for eight runs in the first two innings. Thomas Johnson had three hits in the win, including a double and three runs scored. The Dons are now 2-2 in league.
They lost to Mt. Pleasant on March 8, 11-3, even though Brandon Castillo went 3 for 3 with an RBI. Tim Steeves was 2 for 3 and drove in two while Jesse Vansickle was 2 for 3 with a double and a run scored. Curtis Carter was 1 for 2 and Ryan Erickson was 1 for 1 with a run scored.
Prospect fell to Evergreen Valley 7-3 for its second loss in the Santa Teresa Division on March 10, leaving the Panthers 1-2 in league. Curtis Vanwaardenberg doubled for the Panthers.
Earlier in the week, Prospect suffered its first loss in league to Piedmont Hills, 8-3, on March 8. Chris Cucchiara had two hits for Prospect in the loss.
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