Bakersfield bests West LA in a slugfest

Jacub Bill, Reporter

BC hosted the West LA Wildcats on Tuesday. The Renegades, who were 10-24 heading into this game, were hoping to get a win and end on a high note as the season winds down. The Renegades sent pitcher Tim Ruiz to start the game on the mound, and the first batter he faced, Nathan Nykaza, hit a leadoff solo homer to begin the game and give the Wildcats a one-run lead early on. However, the one was all the Wildcats got as Ruiz shut them down after the home run, shutting down all 6 of the next batters he faced through the 1st and 2nd innings. In the first inning, BC immediately got that run back when the renegades scored 3 in the first inning and scored another seven runs in the second, making it a 10-1 game after the second innings. In the top of the 3rd inning, the Renegades would commit costly errors sparking a two-out rally for West LA, allowing the Wildcats to score three runs. BC would go scoreless in the bottom half, but West LA would tack on four more runs capped off by a three-run home run off the bat of Nathan Nykaza, who belted his second in the game, which made it an 8-10 game. Long gone was the 10-1 lead that the Renegades once held. BC made a pitching change for the 5th as Daniel Felix was brought in to stop the Wildcats. That effort was only for an inning as Felix left West LA scoreless in the 5th but gave up two runs in the 6th, tying the game at ten runs apiece. In the 7th inning, BC would break up the tie with a three-run inning. The Wildcats were held scoreless in the 7th and 8th, and again in the 8th, the Renegades scored three more insurance runs, making it a 16-10 game. Brock Slikker was brought in to record the last three outs for BC but only secured one out in the 9th and gave up two runs, which meant it was the end of the line for Brock Slikker. Bakersfield was two outs away from securing their 11th win of the year, and Casey Jasso was brought in for the last two outs, which he recorded successfully, and ended the game for the Renegades, who advanced to 11-24 on the year.