McCaffrey Buoys Coast to Battering of Birds on Back-to-Back Nights
The Long Beach Coast (8-3) steamrolled the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds (5-6) on Saturday night in a 15-10 slugfest, following up their 26-15 Friday fireworks.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 14 | 1 |
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0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 1 |
OAKLAND, CA – The Long Beach Coast (8-3) steamrolled the Yuba-Sutter Freebirds (5-6) on Saturday night in a 15-10 slugfest, following up their 26-15 Friday fireworks. Catcher Thomas McCaffrey paved the way with a pair of home runs, totaling a Long Beach season-best six RBIs.
The Santa Monica-native played a jumpstarter role in the energized top of the first inning in which the LBC tallied four runs. McCaffrey tagged an RBI single contributing to one of the four runs the Coast built.
Designated hitter Cuba Bess gripped the first two innings in a stranglehold with a pair of RBI knocks, helping Long Beach to a 7-0 lead after the top of the second.
That advantage slipped, forcing the Coast into a three-run hole by the end of the third frame. McCaffrey’s first homer cut the Yuba-Sutter lead down to 10-9 three batters into the fourth inning. Center fielder Emilio Corona re-tied the contest with Long Beach’s first-ever triple, scoring second baseman Jacob Jablonski. Left fielder Jaylen Edmonds’ lone hit in the ballgame played the role of game-winner, capping the fourth at an 11-10 LBC hold.
The Coast next scored in the seventh, and McCaffrey homered again in the eighth, firing a three-run shot. The third-year dirt dawg becomes the third LBC slugger to slam multiple long balls in a single game.
On the hill, right-handed newcomer Nick Bautista earned the victory. The Cypress College product dealt 3.2 innings of relief, allowing three runs on four hits, and striking out five batters. Starter Cole Cressend left the contest after 2.1 IP, during which time he let up seven runs on seven hits. Julien Hernandez and Zach Voelker cleaned up out of the bullpen, combining for three hitless frames. Hernandez recorded a pair of Ks while Voelker dominated the ninth inning, striking out the side.
Sunday’s night battle in Marysville both wraps up the second series against the Freebirds and cuts the countdown clock out of the equation in anticipation of Tuesday’s home opener when the Coast play in front of the home Long Beach crowd for the first time against the RedPocket Mobiles. While Tuesday includes a 6:35 p.m. PST first pitch, Sunday’s series finale does the same.
Jesse Cook