The Barons varsity baseball team finished their first Sunset league series,on April 5th, against the Oilers who stand atop the Sunset league. Unfortunately the Barons were swept in the series with a total score differential of 9-18, however this number was well ballooned by the last game.
The first and last game of the series were practically one inning games. Major home runs by the Oilers secured the win in both games. Game one consisted of a grand slam which put the Oilers in front by one, the lead was never contested again. Game three consisted of not one but two multi-run homers. The final inning of game three saw the Oilers run away with the game scoring 8 runs in just an innings play.
The second game was much more tightly contested.The Barons battled throughout the early innings to keep the game tied and within reach. A pivotal error allowed a runner into scoring position on what was to be an easy out in the fifth inning. The Oiler lineup was able to score that base runner for the go-ahead run, and the game was sealed at 4-3.
The late innings destroyed the Barons this series; out of the 18 runs scored, 12 came in inning seven. The starting pitchers Monty Plattner (’13), who pitched the first and second games, and Joseph Lorenger (’13) who pitched the last, may have been held on the mound for too long. The Baron batters have also been shutout in almost every seventh inning in league and were completely so in the series with HB.
Huntington Beach is looking like the team to beat. Their record stands at 5-1 in Sunset and they came into league as top three in the county. They will most likely have first place in the bag soon. The next couple of playoff spots at second and third are wide open though. The Barons are currently fifth place above only Newport Harbor.
The next series against Edison will be a huge chance for the Barons to make a comeback for the last part of the season. With a sweep the Barons will catapult at least one or two places in league and inch closer to a coveted CIF playoff spot.
The Barons will be playing a tournament at Estancia this weekend (7th-10th). They will resume league action against the Edison Chargers, on the 18th after break, going into to the series one win ahead.
