COALINGA --- Jacob Stock smacked a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Jack Hanger and Agustin Castro to lift West Hills College Coalinga to an 8-7 walk-off win in its 2022 home opener over visiting City College of San Francisco on Saturday. The victory secured a two-game series sweep of the Rams after the Falcons also won 6-5 in Contra Costa on Thursday.
Trailing 5-0 after five innings, the West Hills offense finally came alive in the sixth. Juan Rodriguez and Aviram Ramirez both drove in runs in a two-run bottom of the sixth and the duo brought home two more to start a four-run rally in the eighth.
Aiden Rocha's groundout scored Rodriguez to tie up the game and Jordan Berger ripped a single to bring home Ramirez and give the Falcons its first lead at 6-5.
CCSF took advantage of an error to score two runs in the top of the ninth to go back out in front 7-6. But the Falcons weren't done. With one out, Hanger was hit by a pitch to start the rally and Castro singled to put runners on first and second. Stock wasted little time in driving home both runners with a double to set off the celebration.
West Hills totaled eight hits on the day, getting two each from Castro (2 for 3, 3 runs) and Stock (2 for 4, 2 RBI, 2B).
Nikayha Castro went seven innings in the start for West Hills. He allowed five runs and eight hits while Jonas Nerdin earned the win in relief tossing the final 1 2/3 innings.
On Thursday, it was the Falcons that had to hold off a late San Francisco rally.
West Hills scored an early run in the top of the first but ended up quickly trailing early after the Rams scored three runs in the bottom of the frame. But the Falcons got a run in the fourth and went back out in front with two more in the sixth.
Castro smacked a solo home run to extend West Hills' lead in the seventh and an RBI single by Jacob Cruz in the eighth extended the Falcons' lead to 6-3.
CCSF got a run back in the eighth and was poised for a big inning in the ninth. A pair of walks and a single loaded up the bases with two outs. Shane Stanley hit an RBI single to cut the Falcons' lead to 6-5. CCSF had the potential tying run at third as well as the winning run at second base, but Chris Lenocker struck out the Rams' Ray Redman to end the threat and the ball game.
West Hills had 10 hits in the contest, getting impressive efforts at the plate from Rodriguez (2 for 5, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Stock (2 for 5, 2B, 3B, run), Hanger (2 for 4, run), and Castro (2 for 5, RBI, run).
Karter Pate tossed six strong innings for the Falcons, allowing three runs and eight hits. He struck our four and walked none. Lenocker picked up the save as he closed out the final three innings, striking out six and giving up one earned run.
West Hills improved to 4-2 overall with the two victories. The Falcons are scheduled to begin a two-game, two-day series at home against Monterey Peninsula College that starts on Tuesday (Feb. 8) at 2 p.m.