Can’t keep Desert Oasis down
After trailing by six in first inning, No. 1 Diamondbacks rally
It would have been easy for Desert Oasis to fold Wednesday after starting pitcher Campbell Holt was tattered for six runs in the top of the first inning by second-ranked Basic.
But the top-ranked Diamondbacks chipped away and Holt put an exclamation point on an 11-7 road victory that gave Desert Oasis the Desert League regular-season title and the top seed in next week’s region tournament.
The Diamondbacks (26-6) rallied to take the lead before Basic tied it at 7-7, then went ahead for good in the seventh when Aaron Roberts was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Jordan Demarce.
One batter later, Holt stroked a shot past Basic shortstop Dominik Tavares to clear the bags and give the Diamondbacks a four-run lead.
“I didn’t have my stuff in the first inning, (and) my attitude might have been a little down,” Holt said. “I just stayed on my game, my team picked me up … and I just stayed with it. It was great because I struck out in a big spot with a runner in scoring position with two outs and a couple of their players chirped at me, so getting that hit, clearing those bases, just putting them away was amazing.”
Sophomore Jacob Walsh delivered in the clutch for the Diamondbacks, allowing just one run in four innings of relief. He also went 3-for-5 with two RBIS and a towering home run to right that gave Desert Oasis a 7-6 lead in the fourth inning.
“The thing about this team is we’re in the game every single pitch until the ump calls ballgame. We keep ourselves alive in these situations,” Walsh said.
Holt was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIS. Roberts got the victory after tossing three hitless innings and striking out five.
John Howard Bobo and Trace Evans each had two hits for Basic (24-4-1). Bobo’s triple opened the game and ignited the Wolves’ six-run outburst.
Basic threatened in the sixth, with runners at the corners, but Roberts struck out Zach Hose to end the inning and keep the game tied at 7-7.
“Give it to these guys, that’s been us this year. I don’t know how to explain it, they found a way to get the job done today,” Desert Oasis coach Paul Buboltz said. “We’ve been down by a few runs this year at times, and we’ve come back and won, but nothing like a 6-0 in the first inning kind of thing. Again, this is just to determine first and second. We’re probably gonna see them again coming up.”