The Bakersfield College baseball team is sitting at a 4-2 record after a weekend of getting caught up.
After dropping its home opener to Irvine Valley by a score of 4-1, BC played a home doubleheader on Feb. 14 to make up games that were rained out the week before.
In game one, Golden West took an early lead, which left the Renegades looking up at an 8-0 hole through three innings.
The Renegades brought in former South high pitcher Joseph Neilson in relief for Art Charles in the fourth inning. Neilson went on to give up six hits and allowed two unearned runs, which kept the Renegades’ chances alive.
First baseman Nick Fox helped BC get its offense rolling, by going 3-for-4, including a two-run home run in the fourth.
The Renegades went into the eighth inning trailing 10-9.
With just one out and runners on first and third, left fielder Imaad Nuriddin hit a go-ahead three-run home run that proved to be the game winner.
Nuriddin said of the home run, “He left me a fastball, belt high right over the plate. I was just proud to come through for the team.”
Closer Anthony Ramirez came in and picked up the save to finish out the game for BC.
Neilson, who coach Painton called the key to the victory, said, “I wanted to just come in and throw strikes and mainly pound the inside corner.”
Neilson went on to say, “Art was having a little trouble, it looked like pounding the zone. Mainly, [I threw] inside fastballs and [tried] getting ahead with my fastball, and then I wanted to come back with a breaking ball and some off speed [pitches].”
Painton was happy with the team being able to battle back the way it did. “I was very pleased,” Painton said. “You get down 8-0 the way we were and to be able to scramble back an win a ballgame 12-10, your offense has done a very good job.”
In the second game, the Renegades lost 7-3 in a game shortened to seven innings to allow Golden West to get home earlier. The Rustlers’ pitcher Chris Devenski threw a complete game, in which he allowed four hits and struck out 13 batters.
In the third, Charles doubled and reached third on an error and was singled home by Fox, who also hit a solo home run in the in the fourth.
“We didn’t make early adjustments as we should have been,” Nuriddin said. “We kind of stayed on the same path throughout the game. He had some velocity and a live arm, but we should have adjusted sooner.”
Painton wasn’t happy about the split but was happy with his team afterwards.
“I think we did a good job the first two ball games. The level of competition jumped up today. I think Golden West is very similar to our ballclub. You saw two very good JC baseball teams today,” he said. “You’re not happy with it, but I feel like we did a very good job coming back and winning that first one and, overall, that tournament was a very good measuring stick for us.”
The Renegades played two games in Visalia for the College of Sequoias tournament, where they faced Hartnell on Feb. 12 and College of Marin on Feb. 13.
Bryan Maxwell picked up the win for BC when it beat Marin 9-6. He gave up five hits over seven innings and 93 pitches.
Centerfielder Andrew Letourneau went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three stolen bases in the game.
This was the second straight day Charles homered and the second straight win for the Renegades at the time.
The following day, BC’s offense was too much for Hartnell, as it won 22-3. Sophomore Charles was a strong 4-for-4 with six RBI.
“Really, just staying focused during the game and letting the ball come to me [as the key],” Charles said. “I kept my body loose instead of being so tight, and it worked out. I was able to hit the ball and hit the ball hard.”
BC won its Feb. 16 makeup game against Allan Hancock, 5-2.
Pitcher Danny Armstrong threw six shutout innings to give them the win.
The Renegades play three more home games before heading on the road, starting with San Diego Mesa at home on Feb. 18, followed by a doubleheader with Moorpark and Oxnard on Feb. 20.