IRVINE, CA- In its biggest game of the season, the Arroyo Seco Saints defeated the Orange County Riptide 7-3 to clinch a home playoff game.

Adrian Lopez (USC) detailed why hosting a home playoff game is a big deal for the Saints.

“Most teams aren’t used to playing at Jackie Robinson Field; it’s a different environment for sure,” Lopez said.

After dominating the Riptide in his last start, Carter Herrera (Cal State San Bernardino) got the start for the Saints.

The Riptide got ahead in the second with a solo homer from Michael Diaz (GCU).

Orange County added two more runs in the third.

After scoring two runs combined in their last two games in Irvine, the Saints struggled offensively once again until the sixth inning.

Nick Lazzara (Trinity) started the Saints’ big inning with an RBI sac fly. Lopez followed up with a game-tying double and later scored on a sac fly from Josh Livingston (Wichita State).

Pitcher Andrew Wright (Cal State Fullerton) entered the game in relief of Herrera and dominated in three scoreless innings to hold the Saint’s lead.

“My fastball was working great tonight, and my slider was working really good,” Wright said.

The Saints added to their lead and went up 7-3 in the eighth with an RBI single from Joey Craig (New Mexico State) and a two-run single from Jakob Schardt (Cal State Fullerton).

Arroyo Seco will now travel to Thousand Oaks to play the Conejo Oaks in the last game of the regular season.

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