FALLBROOK – After afternoon turned into nightfall, following comebacks and clutch plays, after misplays and missed opportunities, Fallbrook High's Erik Castro expressed the usual feelings about having yesterday's game against Vista suspended because of darkness.
Until the Avocado League showdown is resumed, on a date to be determined, it's an 8-8 tie through nine innings.
“It's a bummer,” said Castro, who helped lead the Warriors with a homer, double and two RBI. “You never want a tie. It's just not baseball. All the players want to continue the game. It's unfortunate because we were down and rallied to score. We played well, and now we just have to finish it up.”
Fourth-ranked Fallbrook scored twice in the seventh to pull even on RBI singles by James Borges and Cody Burgener, However, with the bases loaded, Fallbrook was denied the go-ahead run by third-ranked Vista, as reliever Trevor Cahill ended the threat by retiring the last three batters.
That would end the day's scoring, otherwise highlighted a four-run first by Fallbrook for a 4-2 lead, and a four-run sixth by Vista for an 8-5 edge in the sixth.
Fallbrook (13-3, 1-1) survived six errors and four Panthers batters being hit by a pitch. The Warriors also left 15 runners on base, while Vista (12-4, 2-0) stranded 11.
“If we would have just executed, not worrying about what they did, we would have fine,” Panthers coach Rick Lepire said. “Then the game would have been over.”
Castro, one of six senior mainstays in the Fallbrook lineup, drove in one run with his double in the first and added a solo blast for his fifth homer of the season in the fourth.
“I'm having a fun senior year out here with all my senior buddies,” said Castro, bound for the University of Arizona. “We're just having a good year. We're playing all right baseball, but we really want to get on a streak right now and into the playoffs.”
Joey Mellano added two hits and two RBI for Fallbrook, which collected 12 hits against four pitchers. Vista used both of its aces, starter McCullough Dean and Cahill, who was summoned with the leadoff runner aboard in the seventh to close the game, at least for the day.
Andy Craig hit a homer and two doubles for Vista, and Anthony Meza had two infield hits and scored three times. Bryan Bence hit a two-run single in the sixth, but the Panthers also ended the inning with the bases loaded.
