Mueller walks it off in 11th

ORANGE, Calif — A wild come-from-behind victory keeps baseball in the win column as they take down Cal Lutheran 5-4 in the 11th inning behind a breakthrough offensive performance from Drake Mueller.

As the sun began to set along the first base side at Hart Park and the Kingsmen met at the mound, Mueller gathered his breath and stepped in the box. As the 1-0 pitch readied he poked a liner out into right field, just deep enough to score the tagging Cooper Foard to walk it off for the Panthers.

In a game that started with a 4-0 deficit, Grant Manning, who pitched the first eight innings, kept Chapman in the game with scoreless sixth through eighth innings. In that time the Panthers were able to claw across four runs, eventually tying it in the eighth.

Mueller started it off in the sixth with a single up the middle, eventually scoring on a Drew Littwin double, but that is all they would get. In the eighth Mueller led things off with a homer, then following an error and single, the Panthers were in business.

Cole Minato, who reached on the error, scored on a ground out, then Nick Kondo, who followed Minato up with a single, scored on a wild pitch.

With the score then notched at four heading into the ninth, Dylan Holt entered the game and shut the Kingsmen down. The Panthers closer pitched three scoreless, not allowing a hit and striking out seven.

The stage was set for Mueller in the 11th when Foard doubled to lead off the inning. An intentional walk of Oli Sellman and an unintentional walk of Austin Dudas brought Mueller to the plate. The rest was history.

Following the win, the Panthers improved to 21-7 on the season and 10-3 in SCIAC play. Cal Lutheran fell to 18-11 and 7-6. The win proved monumental as the Panthers now lead the Kingsmen by three games in the SCIAC standings, with the Panthers above them in third.

Baseball will take the field again tomorrow against the Kingsmen, this time in Thousand Oaks for a double header at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

By Joe Perrino

Assistant SID / Recreation Sports Manager

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