Sean McCance takes a lead for Woodbridge held on by University’s Adam Kunin Friday. McCance stole second and later scored in the fifth inning. (Photos: OC Sports Zone, Tim Burt).
Woodbridge’s baseball team remained tied with Beckman for first place in the Pacific Coast League with a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over University Friday afternoon at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.
Woodbridge (7-3, 4-0) and Beckman (6-1, 4-0) play Saturday at 11 a.m. at Patriot Park in a battle for first place in the league.
Woodbridge won Friday’s game in the bottom of the seventh on a one-out walk-off bases loaded single by Matthew Kuromoto, driving in Jake Amundson, who singled to open the inning.
Kuromoto was 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI to lead the Warriors offensive attack.
“He’s been really consistent for us, he’s a junior and he’s put together some really good at bats in the last four or five games,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker.
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Woodbridge trailed 3-0 going into the bottom of the fifth before chipping away at the lead by University (3-7-1, 1-4).
“I’m really proud of the comeback,” said Brucker “We had some games earlier, we played Newport here in the first game and we fought back and lost it so it’s good to get that one (Friday) against a quality starter. Tip your cap to Uni’s starter. He really kept us off balance and did a good job throwing strikes and that slider he has was pretty good.”
University’s starting pitcher Cooper Berger, a freshman, allowed just one hit through four innings before Woodbridge got going. Berger was relieved in the sixth inning after giving up three runs.
“They chipped away and did the job, our guy got a little tired and left some balls up and they got him,” said University Coach Steve Hindman. “But I’m proud of our guys for the fight with how young we are and how inexperienced we are. That’s a momentum game for us, if we take it the right way and use it, that could be a good thing the rest of the year for us.”
Woodbridge starting pitcher Dylan Blakey was on from the start and had a no-hittter through 4 1.3 innings until Berger singled. The Trojans went on to score two runs in the fifth inning, two coming on a double to left center by Atticus Oh. Luke Weston drove in the other run on a sacrifice fly to put the Trojans ahead 3-0.
Woodbridge started its comeback in the bottom of the fifth when Kyler Collver singled with two outs, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a ground-rule double by Chase Quezada.
Then in the sixth, McCance singled, stole second and scored on a single by Kuromoto. Nate Perry advanced McCance on a sacrifice bunt and Blakey followed with an RBI single to tie the game.
Blakey was relieved by Justin Durby in the sixth inning. Brandon Abernathy came on in the seventh and was credited with the win.
Amundson and McCance also hit two hits for Woodbridge.
University is back in action Saturday to host Portola at 11 a.m.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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