Tensions run high as BC loses high-scoring affair to LA Mission
Pitcher Tim Ruiz pitches during March 12 game
March 14, 2022
The Renegades lost their March 12 game against LA Mission by a score of 20-14, as tensions were high in a game that saw the umpires issue a warning to both dugouts.
The Gades were teed off on early in this one, giving up 6 runs in just the first inning. The injury was met with equal insult as the LA Mission bench made some noise with every hit given up, with jeers and taunts towards BC pitcher Daniel Felix and the Gades bench.
In the bottom of the first, when BC second baseman Andrew Townson sent an easily-catchable ball over the centerfielder’s head to score BC’s first run, the BC bench exploded back with an expletive-filled jeer of their own directed back towards the LA Mission bench. With every run they scored in the first, BC would match LA Mission’s earlier verbal assault with their own, and made the score 6-4 heading into the second inning.
In the bottom of the second, BC’s bench let themselves be heard once more when they scored another run to bring the game within one, as they cheered and celebrated the return of their run-scoring teammate to the bench.
In the top of the third, following some wild pitches by BC left-handed pitcher Brock Barron and more taunts from LA Mission, the home plate umpire was forced to step in to tell the opposing bench to keep it to themselves. This didn’t stop them from scoring another run to extend their lead to 7-5 however.
The top of the 4th was disastrous for BC in more ways than one. After Barron allowed the bases to be loaded, BC brought in right-handed pitcher Tim Ruiz to try to prevent some serious damage from being done. He would give up a sacrifice fly to make it 8-5, and then allowed a single which led to a throwing error, allowing two runs to score to make it 10-5.
A deep fly ball to centerfield banged off the face of centerfielder Jacob Baker, allowing a runner to score and prompting first base umpire Kevin Farr to go out and check on Baker. An LA Mission player on the bench yelled “sniper!”, presumably in jest of Baker, prompting home plate umpire Dan Handy to have a talk with the LA Mission head coach. Baker stayed in the game for the defensive half of the inning, but was replaced by Luke Froelich when Baker’s spot in the batting order came in the bottom of the 4th.
After an LA Mission batter was hit by a pitch, Handy was forced to issue a warning to both sides. When another LA Mission batter was hit by a pitch, the LA Mission bench exploded in cheers, to the ire of their own third base coach who demanded they step back into their dugout. After numerous errors and 11 runs allowed, BC was finally put out of their misery with a popout to shortstop, heading into the bottom of the 4th down 18-5.
It should be noted that despite the umpire’s warnings and batters being hit by pitches after the fact, no players or coaches were ejected from the game.
Froelich went to play in left field as Joseph Alatorre took Baker’s spot in centerfield in the 5th inning and beyond. BC scored a run off a Jarrett Brannen double to make it 18-6 in the bottom of the 5th. After loading the bases with two outs, shortstop Gillermo Monje walked to bring home a run to cut the deficit to 11. Catcher Johnathan Leal would strikeout to end the inning, with the Gades down 18-7.
LA Mission would score another run in the top of the 6th and then again in the 7th to make the deficit 20-7.
In the final three innings, BC scored 7 runs in a valiant final effort to comeback, but it came up short, and the Renegades lost the game with a football score of 20-14.
When asked about the antics by the two benches, head coach Tim Painton stated, “When you play the same team three times in five days in conference play, things can get chippy. College athletics is a competitive environment played by competitive people. Things are said and done on a field sometimes that are not viewed positively by an opponent.”
Coach Painton also said that he liked the effort he saw out of his team on Saturday’s game, despite not getting the result that they wanted. He also said that the mentality of the locker room heading into the final month and half of the season was positive. “We have had more than our share of injuries since we began in January, and we continue to work hard and try and be better each day.”
March 12 was the last time that BC had the chance to face LA Mission this season. They were swept in their 3-game series against them. At home on March 15 the Renegades will begin a new 3-game series against Glendale, which ends at Gerry Collis Field on March 19.
