Legends Split Series with CCL Rivals
The Menlo Park Legends faced off against last year’s CCL North division champion, the Neptune Beach Pearl, earning a split in the two game series at Laney College, June 6 and 7. Game one was a 6-2 defeat, but the Legends bounced back with a 4-3 win in game two.
In the first, the Legends came out strong, scoring two runs by Anthony Lyons (Texas Tech) and Dylan Cook (Georgia College) in the top of the first. The team controlled the game through the fourth with a strong pitching performance by starting right-hander Cameron Linck (Louisiana Tech).
It was not until the fourth, when the the game began to unravel for the Legends. Things got rocky when the Pearl third baseman, Nolan Bumstead, hit a double, and later scored, for the Pearl’s first run of the night.
The game reached the tipping point in the fifth, when Pearl designated hitter Matt Miller (Hawaii) also doubled to left, bringing in three more runs to give his team a 4-2 cushion. Linck was done for the night having pitched five innings, giving up four runs on eight hits, one walk, while ringing up eight Pearl batters.
In the sixth, Legend middle relief pitcher Michael Clark (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) took the mound only to face another offensive outburst by the Pearls. This time, they tacked on another two runs by Tramaine Moore and Patrick Massoni (Austin Peay State) pushing their lead 6-2.
Legends Shane Groth (College of San Mateo) closed the game in the 8th inning with strong pitching, keeping Pearl scoreless. In the end, The Legends were unable to recover after being down by four runs, marking their second loss of the season.
In game two, the Legends were focused and determined to win a split in the series.
Once again the Legends took the lead after scoring two runs in the first by Ryan Rosa (West Valley) and Dylan Cook, only for the Pearls to answer back with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Legends offensive star Ryan Rosa put his team back in lead in the top of the third, after stealing two bases and scoring off an error by Pearl catcher Nathan Chunn (Nebraska).
Legends starting pitcher, Troy Nelson (Trinity), provided solid pitching for three and two-thirds innings but, in the third, the Pearls evened the game 3-3 after catcher Nathan Chunn scored the tying run.
Both Legends middle relief pitchers Jackson Lancaster (Texas Tech)and Richard Peoples (Missouri Western State) threw shutout ball from the fifth to eighth innings. Lancaster and Peoples combined for two hits, two walks, and five strike outs.
The Legends were able to get themselves the lead for good with timely hitting with back to back singles by Ryan Rosa and Dylan Cook and Kyle Barret’s (Texas Tech) double bringing in Rosa from third.
Closing pitcher Garret Bruce (Texas Tech) came in to pitch a scoreless ninth. The team ended the game with a double play to 4-3.
The Menlo Park Legends’ next game will be at Cañada College against the Walnut Creek Crawdads, June 10.
