SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Down to the last strike in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, Aidan Camberg launched a game-tying, two-run home run to extend the game before Allan Hancock College outlasted Santa Barbara City College 9-8 in 13 innings on Saturday.
The see-saw affair began with the Bulldogs scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, with the Vaqueros answering with three in the bottom half.
Each team added two more runs in the third, giving the Vaqueros a 5-4 advantage.
Allan Hancock scored two in the fourth and one in the eighth to take a 7-5 lead.
With two outs in the ninth, Cole Ide pulled a base hit through the right side of the infield to set up Camberg's tying blast.
The Vaqueros had scoring opportunities in extra innings, including a bases-loaded situation with one out in the 10th, but a fly ball led to a baserunning miscue that ended the threat.
The Bulldogs plated two runs in the top of the 13th for a 9-7 lead. Ben Fabbian hit a sacrifice fly to score Benjamin Strutt, cutting the deficit to one.
The next batter, Sean Asperger, was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a popout ended the game.
Camberg, Fabbian and Asperger each tallied two RBIs, while Brendon Cekada added one.
Strutt stole one base and was caught on another attempt, pushing his season total to 26. He ranks second in the Western State Conference behind LA Mission's Andrew Seidel.
Santa Barbara is now 19-10 overall and 11-4 in conference play. The Vaqueros travel to LA Pierce College on Tuesday and Thursday before wrapping up the series at Pershing Park on Saturday.
