Mariners' baseball came within two outs of a three game sweep over Contra Costa in San Pablo on Saturday. Unfortunately it was not to be, as the Comets rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth before walking off in the bottom of the tenth inning. The Mariners took a 7-4 lead to the home half of the ninth, but a hit by pitch and three consecutive hits tied up the game. Contra Costa scored the winning run on a two out single to set off home celebrations.
Contra Costa drew first blood in the bottom of the first. A pair one out singles, followed by a passed ball and wild pitch gave them a 1-0 advantage. The Mariners did not waste time tying the game up as Adam Hussain led off the top of the second with a single and advanced to third with one out from a pair of walks. A sacrifice fly by Christian Merriwether tied the game up at 1-1.
Marin took their first lead in the top of the third as they scored a quartet of runs without recording a single hit. Marcus Chiu led off with a walk and promptly stole second base. He followed by stealing third and scoring on a poor throw by the catcher. With one out, MacLean Meyn and Hussain walked. A hard comebacker to the pitcher by Jake Munoz was mishandled, allowing Meyn to score Marin's third run. Alex Davis followed with a groundball to second that was bobbled which scored Hussain, before Donovan Buechs grounded out to short to plate Munoz from third.
Contra Costa pulled one run back in the bottom half with a leadoff single and one out RBI double. They cut the Mariners' lead to 5-3 as a leadoff double came around to score on a fielding error. The Comets pulled within a run in the fifth with a pair of singles, an error and sac bunt to make the score 5-4.
Marin scored a lone run in the sixth inning with a pair of two out doubles by Dominic Burke and Marcus Chiu. They pushed their lead to 7-4 in the eighth inning with a run scoring fielder's choice.
The ninth inning began fairly easily as Bret Bowyer retired the Comets ninth place hitter with a ground out to second. After that, the game began to unravel. A hit by pitch and a single brought the tying run to the plate. A single plated one and cut the Mariners lead to 7-5. The Contra Costa cleanup hitter followed with a thunderous double that tied the game but was thrown out trying to stretch the double to a triple. Bowyer got the final Contra Costa batter to strikeout, but the damage was done as the teams headed to extra innings.
The Mariners were retired in order in their half of the tenth before Contra Costa came to the plate. A one out double was followed by a two out single to score the 8th and decisive run of the game.
Jake Munoz reached base five times for Marin with a single, three walks and a reached on error. He scored a run and plated one as well. Dominic Garihan started on the mound for the Mariners and threw five and a third innings allowing four runs, three earned with a walk and two strikeouts.
Marin won two of the three games against Contra Costa, but had a chance to pull off the three game sweep. After the first series of Bay Valley Conference competition Marin, Los Medanos, Mendocino and Laney all hold 2-1 records.