Ramos, Wehsener help win it for Patriots
- Updated: April 7, 2019
2019 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
East County Sports staff report
EL CAJON (4-7-2019) – Since switching from the Eastern League to the City Conference’s Western League, life has proven to be rugged for the Christian Patriots. So they welcomed a rare second-chance opportunity to return to the victory column.
On Saturday (Apr. 6), after the bullpen allowed a late, 2-run lead disappear, reliever Trace Ramos fired two innings of shutout reliever, then Clay Wehsener smacked a walk-off double in the 9th inning to send the Patriots to a 3-2 triumph over visiting Serra at Mitchell Field.
Wehsener’s blast to center field brought home Carson Stroman, a late-inning substitute took three bases following a one-out walk.
Patriots starting pitcher Braeden Ross was solid over his five innings, allowing just a pair of singles. But since this was a non-league contest, the ballclub elected to save his arm for next week’s home-and-home Western series with Cathedral Catholic.
However, the Conquistadors forced overtime with two runs in the 7th before Christian countered to win in extra innings.
Many thought the Patriots’ pair of runs in the 1st would hold up.
Ramos smashed a one-out triple to center field, allowing Fisher Ransom (lead walk) to score. Ramos made it 2-0 when he came home on following a dropped third strike and a wild pitch.
Afterward, Q’s pitcher Desmond Szalapski was solid, allowing just one additional base hit in his six innings of work.
Szalapski retired the next five batters, allowed a base hit to Ransom, then put down the next 11 straight batters before allowing a two-out walk in the 6th before registering his final out. He struck out six.
Serra got even in the 7th to get Szalapski off the hook.
After placing runners in scoring position on a one-out Chris Thomas single, then a Szalapski double, Thomas scored on a wild pitch to end the shutout bid. Ryan Agosto followed with a clutch, line RBI single to right with two out to extend the ballgame.
Serra (10-7 overall) would out-hit Christian, 8-5, but the Patriots (6-12) gladly accepted the victory to snap a 7-game losing skid.
Wehsener’s brother, Chase, another former Patriot, is 14 for his last 26 for Baylor University after the sophomore extended his hitting streak to eight games on Saturday.
