Two tough losses in two days was sweetened by a victory by the Mariners on getaway day in Visalia. Marin rebounded with a 2-1 victory over the Giants on Saturday. Jake Munoz had the go ahead RBI while Chris Allen sparkled through seven plus innings to help Marin to a victory.
After a scoreless top of the first, Sequoias loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning with one away. Allen bore down and struck out the next batter, but yielded a bases loaded walk to push across the first run for the home team. After a strikeout to end the inning, Allen tightened up and did not allow another run for the entire game.
Marin answered the 1-0 deficit immediately, as Adam Hussain doubled to lead off the top of the second. After a groundout, Owen Hamilton walked, but Davis Barkocy struck out to keep Hussain at second. With two down, JT Balano game through in the clutch, with an RBI single to plate Hussain and tie the game up at 1-1.
Allen struck out the side in the bottom of the second, and from there the pitcher's duel was on. Sequoias put two on with one out in the bottom of the third, but were denied, while Marin had two on with one out in the sixth but could not push across the go ahead run. Both teams were retired in order in the seventh before the Mariners made some noise in the penultimate frame.
Balano led off the eighth by reaching on an error. After a strikeout, Balano moved to second on a sac bunt, putting Munoz at the plate with two away. Munoz delivered a line drive single to left, plating Balano and giving the Mariners a 2-1 lead.
Allen started the bottom of the eighth with a fly out before being replaced by Nick Roth. The closer got into a bit of trouble, allowing a double and walk, but managed to force a pop up and a strikeout to end the threat.
Hussain launched a one out double in the top of the ninth, but the Mariners failed to score. In the bottom half Sequoias put two on with one out, but Roth induced a fly out and a ground out to end the threat and the game.
Allen earned the win in 7.1 innings, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out 10. Roth earned the save by recording five outs and two strikeouts.
Next up for the Mariners are a pair of home dates played at USF against Lassen College on February 15th and Feather River College on February 16th.