Baseball Battles Back but Blows Lead in Ninth against Chaffey

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College erased a six-run deficit and took a lead into the ninth inning but could not hold on in a non-conference loss to visiting Chaffey, 9-8, on Friday afternoon at Warrior Field.

The Warriors (8-3) used a six-run eighth inning to erase a 7-2 Panthers (4-8) lead and took an 8-7 lead into the top of the ninth.

But, down to their last strike, the Panthers again found the upset against ECC as Zach Kim's two-run single to right off Warriors right-hander James Kobylt put the Panthers back in front and then Logan Hunt retired the Warriors in order in the bottom of the ninth to hand the Warriors their third loss of the year and second to the Panthers in as many weeks.

Theo Forshey was almost the hero for ECC as he belted a two-out grand slam over the scoreboard in right field to put the Warriors ahead 8-7 in the eighth. The Warriors entered the frame down 7-2 but the first three batters of the inning reached and then, with one out and a run in, Julio Camarena drew a walk to load the bases.

Dylan Knowles followed with a walk of his own to make it 7-4 and then, after Ben Griffin struck out, Forshey unloaded a no-doubter off Panthers reliever Ricky Rodarte to put ECC out in front for the first time against the Panthers since the fourth inning of last Thursday's game between the teams at Warrior Field.

It was Forshey's only hit of the game but he finished with a career-high five RBI. Daniel Murrillo and Knowles each had two hits and Camarena scored three times for the Warriors.

Kobylt came into the ninth to try and close out the game and got the leadoff hitter to ground out for the first out. But Cole Howarth and Bradley Chesterton each singled to put the go-ahead run on base.

Kobylt got Nate Slaman to hit a slow chopper to Camarena at short but the Warriors shortstop could only get a force at second as Slaman easily beat the throw to first to avoid a game-ending double play.

Slaman would advance to second on a wild pitch and that came back to haunt the Warriors as Kim, who entered the game as a defensive substitution in the bottom of the seventh inning, made his only at-bat of the game count as he drove an outside fastball with two strikes into right field to plate the two runners and put Chaffey on top for good.

Howarth, Chesteron and Slaman feasted on Warriors pitching on Friday, combining to go 8-for-13 with a double, a home run, five RBI and five runs scored.

The Warriors will have a quick turnaround as they will welcome L.A. Mission to Warrior Field on Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for noon.