Jason Deitrich pitched for GWC in the regular season finale.
By Adam Stites
Western Sun executive editor
Just over a month ago, the Golden West baseball team was on a five-game winning streak and hot on the tail of Orange Empire Conference-leading Orange Coast College. Now the season is over for the Rustlers after losing 10 of their last 11 games including an eight-game losing streak to end the season.
Despite a terrible showing in its games in April, GWC still qualified for the postseason as the 14th seeded team in the Southern California playoffs. The trip to the postseason didn’t last long for the Rustlers as Mt. SAC won two consecutive games in as many days to bounce Golden West from the playoffs.
“It’s all hands on deck,” said GWC Head Coach Bert Villarreal after the conclusion of the regular season.
In the first game on Saturday, May 5, the Rustlers carried a 6-2 lead into the ninth inning, but gave up five runs in the bottom of the ninth to lose 7-6. Despite five errors in the game, Mt. SAC bounced back with five hits, including a bases loaded single from Robert Mier that drove in Jeff Crowe to win the game.
In the following game on Sunday, May 6, the Rustlers were unable to tie up the best of three series or get any kind of offensive rhythm going at all en route to a 2-0 loss. In fact, a single from Kyle Jones in the third inning was the sole hit from GWC in the game.
The Rustlers finished the season with an 18-19-1 overall record and a 9-12 record in conference play.
