BAKERFSIELD, CA - The Bakersfield College baseball team hosted Moorpark on Opening Day of the 2022 Season at Gerry Collis Field and came away with a tough loss, 7-8. Renegades battled it out to 13 innings but in the end they fell short to the Raiders. 

Sophomore David Villegas started opening day hot! The right handed pitcher struck out three out of four batters he faced and struck out the side in the first inning. Bakersfield started the scoring drive at the bottom of the second from outfielder Alex Rodriguez, who hit a single out to left center bringing in Jarrett Brannen and Miguel Castillo for 2RBIs. Unforunately, Moorpark managed to not only tie the ball game in the following inning but take the lead 3-2. 

Moopark scored another RBI at the top of the fifth from a double before Renegades batters were up. Rodriguez scored from second base off a single hit to right center from teammate Jose Ruiz to put BC only down by one run at the end of five innings, 4-3. 

Bakersfield tied the game 4-4 at the bottom of six from a wild pitch and an error. At the end of nine, game remained tied at four. Raiders and Rengades both scored in the tenth inning, with a first career homerun from sophomore Xabi Iparraguirre. 

The following two innings would be a back and fourth battle trying to just get another RBI to finished the contest. At the top of the thirteen, MC brought in three runs to take an 8-5 lead. Bakersfield went up to bat next and had their first two out of three batters stike out. Rodriguez found a way to keep BC alive as he hit a triple to bring home Andrew Townson, then brought in by teammate Jacob Baker from a single to left center to only be down by a run once more, 7-8. Unsuccessfully, Bakersfield ended the ball game with a pop up to the infield. 

The Renegades drop to 0-1 at the start of the season. Tomorrow they host Taft College at 7pm and Moorpark again on Saturday at 5pm. 

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