IRVINE, CA—After scoring 30 runs across its last 15 offensive innings, the Arroyo Seco Saints offense struggled in a 2-1 loss to the Orange County Riptide, recording only two hits.

Despite the loss, Saints starter Carter Herrera (Cal State San Bernardino) arguably gave the team its best start of the season, pitching six innings with only one run allowed and 10 strikeouts. Unfortunately, Riptide starter Sammy Cova (Oregon) matched Herrera every step of the way.

While everything Herrera threw was working, his changeup was his best pitch.

“My changeup was my best pitch tonight; I just had the feel for it,” Herrera said.

With the masterful outing, Herrera lowered his ERA to 1.92.

Both teams also received great outings from their bullpens as Brady Nelson (St. Cloud State) tossed three scoreless innings in relief for the Saints.

Nelson has both started games and has come in relief and spoke about the different mindsets required for each.

“It’s first pitch strikes, getting ahead of counts and you just gotta shove,” Nelson said.

Unlike his prior outings, in which he only totaled eight strikeouts in 14 innings, Nelson notched a season-high five strikeouts.

Said Nelson on what was working for him tonight: “Using the legs and hips more and developed a new slider that was working really well. The changeup was missing barrels.”

Cova got the pitcher’s duel started with two strikeouts in the top of the first, while Herrera managed to escape the inning unharmed.

The Saints jumped ahead in the second without recording a hit, as the Riptide coughed up two errors. The second brought home first baseman Joey Donnelly (UC Berkley) to put the Saints up 1-0.

Herrera dominated on the mound, retiring all nine hitters he faced from the 2nd to the 4th inning while striking out six.

His stretch of brilliance ended in the fifth when Riptide shortstop Camden Bates (Tennessee) hit a game-tying homer to left. Herrera bounced back, retiring the next hitters in order with two strikeouts.

Left fielder Easton Elliot got the Saints’ first hit of the night with a single to lead off the top of the sixth. One batter later, Elliot was sent back to the dugout as catcher Alex Birge (UC Berkley) lined into a double play.

The Riptide got two men on with two outs which ended Herrera’s run of retiring 14 out of 15 batters concluded. He escaped the threat as he induced an inning-ending lineout.

With the six innings, Herrera matched Trajan Lee (Trinity) for the single-game high in innings pitched, both of which came in less than a week.

“Just being real efficient with first-pitch strikes and pounding the zone,” said Herrera on the reason why he and Lee were able to work deep into their respective games.

Coming in relief for Herrera, Nelson recorded two strikeouts in his first inning of work.

Saints’ designated hitter Jakob Schardt (Cal State Fullerton) nearly broke the tie and extended his home run streak to three games in the top of the eighth but his fly ball to dead fell just shy of clearing the fence.

Arroyo Seco failed to capitalize with runners on second and third to take the lead in the top of the ninth.

Orange County had a chance to win in the ninth but Elliot made a miraculous diving catch to send the game to extras.

Even with the automatic runner, the Saints failed to score as Jack Bunnell retired all three hitters he faced.

The Riptide won it in the bottom of the 10th against Andrew Wright (Cal State Fullerton) on two hits that didn’t leave the infield to send the fans and dogs home happy.

The Saints return home on Tuesday for their third straight game against the Riptide.

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