Alec Hagopian (Embry-Riddle University) tossed a season-high three shutout innings to keep the Lefties in the game. (Photo courtesy of Maevis Photography)
Yahir Ramirez walks it off for Port Angeles
Written by: Thomas Johnson
It was just meant to be at Civic Field on Saturday night.
A night after failing to complete a ninth-inning comeback, Yahir Ramirez (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) came up to the plate with a runner on second and his team down by one run. Ramirez already had a pair of hits to his name, but none would be as important as this one.
The Lefties called Ramirez’s name and he answered, slapping a ball back up to the middle to score Jason Leon (Cal State Bakersfield) from second. Game over. Walk-off winner.
“It felt good, it felt really good,” Ramirez said postgame. “Much needed.”
Ramirez’s game-winning single secured Port Angeles’ 9-8 victory over the Kamloops NorthPaws.
The win broke a five-game home losing streak for the Lefties and secured, at worst, a season split with Kamloops, with a chance to take the season series on Sunday.
The Lefties secured an early lead off an RBI single from Roberto Garza-Nunez (Embry-Riddle University) to score Ethan Kodama (UC Berkeley). Kodoma extended his on-base streak to 15 games with the first-inning walk.
Port Angeles had a three-run third inning to extend its lead off of three hits and three walks. Jeremy Giesegh (Cal State San Bernardino) notched the first single, extending his hitting streak to 11 games to set the Lefties’ team-high hitting streak. Giesegh also held the previous long streak of 10 games.
Down by two heading into the sixth, the NorthPaws put up a six spot in the frame to take an 8-4 lead. Joey Rico (Westmont College) — Kamloops’ lone representative at the WCL All-Star Game — had the big hit, slugging a grand slam to put his squad on top.
The Lefties quickly answered with a two-run sixth inning to cut the deficit in half after Ramirez had a single and Kodoma had a triple to drive the shortstop in, with the UC Berkeley product scoring on a groundout later in the frame.
Port Angeles then turned to Alec Hagopian (Embry-Riddle University) out of the bullpen to keep Kamloops off the board for the rest of the game. Hagopian delivered, tossing a season-high three innings of shutout ball to keep his side in the game.
“My defense behind me was working really hard, I was doing everything in my power to just make them hit the baseball and let my defense work, and all the boys behind me were making every single play,” Hagopian said postgame.
With the Lefties down by two heading into the bottom of the ninth, Port Angeles needed a rally, just one night after coming up short in the ninth inning.
History would not repeat itself, as Brett Haggerty (Yakima Valley College) drew a walk to start the inning. Jack Kleveno (University of Utah) came in as a pinch runner and Kosei Suzuki (Frank Phillips College) advanced him to second on an infield single.
Travis Helm (Central Washington University) got hit by a pitch to load up the bases for Leon. Leon nearly grounded into a game-ending double play, but an error by the second baseman extended the game and allowed Kleveno and Suzuki to come around to score and tie the game.
Helm was erased on the fielder’s choice, but Leon was able to advance to second on the error, giving way to Ramirez who won it for Port Angeles.
“Ya’s been with us all summer and he’s been kind of struggling a little bit and the last four or five games, he’s really come on and in that spot he was the right guy,” head coach Donald Brais said postgame. “Couldn’t be happier for him, man I love the kid.”
The Lefties have a rubber match on deck at 1:35 p.m. against the Kamloops NorthPaws on Sunday.
