Another high scoring game between Rio Hondo College and Chaffey College saw the Roadrunners beat the Panthers in their final home game of the season April 28. Rio Hondo closed out their season with an overall record of 19-17 and an 11-11 record in conference play.

The Roadrunners opened the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning as Randy Buenrostro singled and advanced to second on an error by the infield, getting an RBI as R.J. Romo advanced to third base scoring on the error, followed by a run from Gabe Chavez in the same play. Cesar Sandoval was walked getting him an RBI as Steve Genera advanced to second base and Alex Rodriguez to third, while Buenrostro finished it off with a run making it 3-0 for Rio.

Chaffey would respond in the top of the second-inning with Christian Valdez getting a double and an RBI as he set up Marcos Hernandez to score. The Panthers would get their second with Valdez scoring on a wild pitch to make it a 3-2 in Rio’s favor. The bottom of the second would see Chavez score off of a Romo double and RBI that advanced Danny Marquez to third base. Next, Rodriguez singled getting an RBI as Romo advanced to third allowing Marquez to make it home safely advancing Rio’s lead to 5-2.

The Panthers would pick up a single run in the top of the third-inning thanks to Logan Gopperton who scored off of M. Hernandez’s single and RBI that advanced Justin Wells to third. Chaffey would go on to tie the game at 5-5 in the top of the fourth-inning with Oscar Martinez’s double and RBI scoring Ellis Stevens. Noah Williams then doubled getting an RBI as Martinez scored. A fifth-inning rally would see Chaffey come out on top, getting an additional five runs while Rio Hondo managed to score three of their own making it a 7-10 for the Panthers.

Joseph Chavez started off the top of the fifth with a single advancing to second base on the throw while getting two RBI as M. Hernandez scored followed by a run from Patrick Keller. Next up for the Panthers, Williams doubled getting two RBI as Martinez and Chavez scored. Logan Gopperton then singled getting an RBI bring Williams home safely.

The bottom of the fifth saw Rio Hondo’s Rodriguez walked getting an RBI as Romo advanced to second base while Marquez advanced to third and Brady Carlson scored. Genera then reached first on an error by third basemen while Rodriguez advanced to third allowing Marquez to score unearned.

Keller would pick up another unearned run for the Panthers in the top of the sixth-inning after Valdez singled getting an RBI advancing M. Hernandez to second base. Chaffey kept their momentum going well into the top of the seventh and Keller stole second while Williams scored making it now a 8-12 game. The Roadrunners would respond in the bottom of the seventh with Buenrostro and Rodriguez scoring unearned thanks to a single from Sandoval and a walk by Chavez.

The top of the eighth-inning saw Martinez single, getting an RBI sending Stevens home safely as Chaffey maintained their lead against Rio Hondo for the time being. With the score now at 10-13 Rio would have to respond and they did in the final inning of the game sending them into extra innings. The bottom of the ninth saw Chavez single getting an RBI as Rivas advanced to second base while Ybarra scored. Next up, a Romo single and two RBI saw Marquez advance to second meanwhile Chavez and Rivas scored tying the game at 13-13.

Rio Hondo would close out the game two innings later when Chavez’s double and RBI sent home Ybarra who scored the winner against Chaffey College on the evening, 14-13.