Cuesta Baseball pulled into a three-way tie for 1st place in the Western State Conference with a win over Oxnard, 4-3. The Cougars took an early lead when catcher Ryan McCarty’s double was followed by a two-out single from first baseman Aidan Nagle.
Cuesta doubled its lead when Outfielder Broc Mortensen opened the next inning with a solo home run. The Condors even the game with a pair of runs from a Ramon Gomez double, but the Cougars added a run in the bottom of the inning on when second baseman Thomas Green scored on McCarty’s sacrifice fly and another run in the 6th inning on an RBI-single by shortstop Ruben Mercado to plate DH David Martinez.
Cuesta reliever Jed Jensen kept the Condors in check for four-plus innings, but in the 9th, after striking out two batters, a pair of singles cut the Cougars’ lead in half and placed the tying run at 2nd base. Coach Bob Miller made a call to the Bullpen and Freshman Zach Trevino earned a save by ending the game and the Condor threat with a strikeout. Cuesta Shortstop Ruben Mercado was the only Cougar to enjoy a multi-hit game. Mercado was 2-for-3 and drove in a run as the Cougars were out-hit by the Condors, 9-7.
The Cougars end the week with a pair of games against local rival and fellow WSC leader Allan Hancock. The Cougars play the Bulldogs in Santa Maria on Thursday (2:30) and host their rivals on Friday (2:30).
