PASADENA, CA—Something had to give as both the Arroyo Seco Saints and Conejo Oaks came into Tuesday night’s contest riding win streaks—the Saints with a two-game win streak and the Oaks a six-game streak.

The game went back and forth, with the score knotted at three runs apiece at the end of six innings. However, the Oaks pulled away in the seventh with a four-run frame to go ahead 7-3. The Saints cut the deficit to 7-5 but could not go ahead as they fell 9-5 and dropped their record to 10-7.

Despite the loss, right fielder Easton Elliot (portal) had another good night at the plate, going 2-5 with 3 RBI.

Even though Elliot is hitting .359 so far, his main value is his versatility on defense.

Every day, Elliot comes to the field excited to see where he will be playing.

“It’s an honor to have a role like that. Showing up and not knowing where I’m going to play that day is a pretty cool feeling,” Elliot said. “I love being a utility man.”

Saints manager Aaron Milam appreciates having someone who can play multiple positions like Elliot, saying, “It’s pretty cool.”

At the plate, Elliot’s primary focus is attacking early in the count and avoiding two-strike counts.

“I hate getting it to two strikes, leaving it in the umpire’s hand. It’s never going to end up well,” Elliot said.

Trajan Lee (Trinity) got the start for the Saints tonight. For the first time this summer, Lee was caught by Alex Birge (UC Berkeley) instead of his college teammate Nick Lazzara (Trinity).

Lee gave up a leadoff single but got out of the inning unscathed, striking out two hitters.

After retiring the first two hitters of the second, Lee walked the next two hitters but got out of it with a strikeout.

The Saints took advantage of the Oaks being unable to score by taking a 1-0 in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back singles from first baseman Joey Donnelly (UC Berkeley) and third baseman Josh Livingston (Wichita State) got the inning started, and shortstop Tyler Gordon (portal) hit an RBI single to bring home Donnelly.

Arroyo Seco increased its lead to 2-0 in the second after Elliot grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Birge from third.

The Oaks got on the board in the fourth and took a 3-2 lead, scoring two runs on passed balls and wild pitches.

The Saints tied it back up in the bottom of the fifth on a single from Livingston, scoring Lazzara, who reached base with his second double of the game.

Coming out of the bullpen, Andrew Wright (Cal State Fullerton) pitched two scoreless innings before getting into trouble in his third. He hit the first batter he faced in the seventh. He had a chance to erase the runner, but second baseman Cam Conley (Cal State Fullerton) threw wide of Gordon, shattering a potential double play for the Saints.

One batter later, the Oaks took a 4-3 lead on a single from first baseman Dominic Hellman (Oregon). Wright gave up a single to the next hitter and was pulled after that.

With the bases loaded and no outs, the Saints called on Kobe Minchey (portal) to try and get out of the jam. He was unsuccessful as all three of the runners Wright left on base came around to score, giving the Oaks a 7-3 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, Elliot brought the Saints within two with an RBI single, scoring Lazzara and Donnelly. The Oaks got those two runs back in the top of the ninth with a two-run triple off of Minchey.

Arroyo Seco threatened in the bottom of the ninth but couldn’t score as they stranded two men on base and lost 9-5.

The Saints return to action Wednesday night when they travel to Compton to take on the MLB Academy Barons. The Saints have a 3-1 record against them this summer.

• Saints reporter Dylan Gonzales (Fresno State)
• Saints reporter Noah Pineda (Noah Pineda)
• Saints photographer Armando Jacobo (Long Beach)