"Celebrate Good Times"

Cassidy Thornburg | June 29, 2019

San Diego, Ca- “Celebrate good times, come on,” rang out over the loud speakers at Madison High School after the Force’s comeback against the Inland Valley Buccaneers in game one of their double-header.  

Like any good comeback story, the Force got behind early, trailing the Inland Valley Buccaneers 3-0 by the bottom of the third. The light appeared at the end of the tunnel in the bottom of the fifth inning when Byron Smith (Masters U) hit a two-out double. An RBI-triple to follow by Alex Blaszyk (Saddleback) scored Smith to get the first run on the board for the Force. 

The Force put up another run in the bottom of the eighth when Ryan Williams (Cal Baptist) hit a SAC-Fly to right field to score Sam Neufeld (Vanguard). The Force’s offense was starting to make some noise, although going into the top of the ninth, the Force still trailed the Inland Valley Buccaneers 5-2. The Buccaneers put up another run in the top of the ninth, lengthening their lead to four runs over the Force. 

The bottom of the ninth inning kept the San Diego Force in the game. They scored four runs to tie the game, 6-6, sending them to extra innings. The Force contained the Buccaneers in the top of the tenth, with Bryce Roesch (U of Arkansas- Pine Bluff) on the mound, and no runs against. In the bottom, the Force quickly got bases loaded with only one out against. Cade Bochtler (Undecided) stepped up to the plate and hit an RBI-single that scored Eligha Lewis (Lamar CC) on his 22^nd birthday and the go-ahead run that won the game for the Force. All said and done, the Force came back from behind to win the game 7-6. 

Game two between the Force and Bucs has been suspended until July 11 due to darkness at the umpire’s discretion. The Force have a quick turnaround and will play again June 30 in another double-header against the Inland Valley Pirates at Madison High School. The first game will start at 1 p.m. and will be shortly followed by the second at 4 p.m.