College of Marin's 2019 Baseball season game to a close on Tuesday at Cosumnes River College. The Mariners trailed 12-4 in the ninth inning but mounted a furious comeback that came up just a bit short. Marin scored four times in the final frame but could not complete an epic rally. The game was tied at four in the sixth inning when the Cosumnes River Hawks exploded for seven runs to take an 11-4 lead. The Mariners pitched valiantly but certainly missed their ace Nick Roth who was unavailable due to injury.
The game started positive for Marin who scored a pair in the top of the first. Jacob Berg led off with a double and Anthony Pomilia followed with a hit by pitch. They moved to second and third with two down for Dionathan Cornet who lined a single to score the pair.
Demian White started for Marin and allowed a run in the bottom of the first. The Hawks' leadoff hitter, Burle Dixon singled and stole second, he moved to third on a groundout and scored on another ground out to cut Marin's lead to 2-1. After the Mariners went scoreless in the second, Cosumnes River scored two more with two away on an error and a single to take a 3-2 lead.
Marin did not hesitate and battled back in the third. Berg and Pomilia walked to start the inning off and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Landen Moran followed with a ground ball that was mishandled allowing Berg to score and Randy Fernandez followed with a single to plate Pomilia. Marin had a chance to keep adding on but a flyout and double play ended that opportunity.
Marin's 4-3 lead was fleeting as a two out single in the third by the Hawks tied the game up at 4-4.
The score remained 4-4 until the season defining sixth inning. Matthew Lozovoy relieved White midway through the third and pitched effectively in the fourth and fifth innings. He retired the first batter of the sixth, before allowing a single. A strikeout was the second out, but it was the last any Mariner would get for a while. A hit by pitch and a walk loaded the bases before a wild pitch, a walk and a hit by pitch put Cosumnes River on top 6-4.
Michael Benz took over for Lozovoy and walked the first batter he faced for another run. He yielded a bases clearing triple followed by a single to put the Hawks in control 11-4. They added another run in the seventh on a Dixon solo shot and looked to cruise to an easy victory.
The Mariners did not make it easy, battling until their final out in the ninth. Marin loaded the bases with one in the ninth for Nick Caravello. The freshman lined a single to score a pair and cut the deficit to 12-6. A strikeout and wild pitch put two runners in scoring position for Oscar Urbina who lined a double scoring two more but Jacob Berg grounded out to end the game and the season.
Caravello had three hits and two RBI on the game, while Cornett had two hits and two RBI for the Mariners. Dixon had two hits, a home run, a stole base and three runs scored for Cosumnes River.
The loss concluded the 2019 season for the Mariners. The team finished with a 20-20 record overall and 13-8 in the Bay Valley Conference. It was growth year for a young team that had the benefit of veteran leadership.
The 2020 season is just around the corner with big hopes for the future of the team.