Oakland Blows Out Rocky Mountain in Series Finale
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rocky Mountain Vibes | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
|
Oakland Ballers | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 16 | 10 | 3 |
By Davis Ellington
OAKLAND, CA
The Oakland Ballers secured a series split with the Rocky Mountain Vibes, thanks to a 16-3 drubbing on a Father's Day afternoon at Raimondi Park.
The Ballers and Vibes had been engaged in many close contests this week, with runs being at a premium in what were low-scoring affairs. On Sunday, the Ballers offense that was held quiet for the majority of the series exploded for 16 runs in the win.
Oakland started this game off with a bang, as Noah Martinez belted a grand slam to begin the scoring in the bottom of the 1st inning. Oakland would get a solo home run from Brad Burckel, as they took a 5-run lead into the second inning in front of a packed house.
The Vibes lone productive offensive inning came in the 3rd frame, where Rocky Mountain would plate three runs, and cut the Ballers lead to just two. This would be the only runs for the Vibes, as the bullpen combination of Brody Eglite and Abraham De Leon would author six scoreless frames to secure the victory.
The middle innings belonged solely to the Ballers. As Oakland would take full advantage of a litany of free passes, both by way of walks and hit by pitches. Oakland would score three runs in the 4th inning without the aid of a single hit. The Ballers weren't close to done either, as Dondrei Hubbard would plate a pair with a 2-run single, and Oakland would end scoring seven runs in the 5th inning to truly break the game open.
The Vibes ended up allowing 14 walks and hit four Oakland Ballers batters, as they continuously set the table for a Ballers offense that delivered time and again this afternoon. With the win, Oakland secured a series split with the Vibes, a welcomed outcome for an Oakland team that dropped the first two games of the series. The Ballers are just three games out of securing a playoff spot, and head north to face off against the Yolo High Wheelers in a six game set.
