Vikings Rally in Eighth For "Wild" Coast Win Over San Mateo

Nate Maggi scores the winning run on a San Mateo wild pitch
Nate Maggi scores the winning run on a San Mateo wild pitch

The West Valley baseball team scored the tying and winning runs on back-to-back wild pitches in the bottom of the eighth to edge the College of San Mateo 7-6 Thursday at Valhalla. The Vikings picked up their third straight win in a most unconventional way after leading off the eighth with a pair of strikeouts and then loading the bases when Erik Ochoa took a pitch to the back and Nate Maggi and Danny O'Reilly walked. Ochoa reached third on a stolen base and a passed ball and came home on the first wild pitch. Maggi crossed the plate with the game-winner one pitch later when Ethan Heinrich's delivery eluded catcher Keolu Ramos. West Valley (16-14, 4-6 Coast-Golden Gate) grabbed a 2-0 lead on Ochoa's two-out, two-run double in the fourth, and then extended the lead to 5-0 a frame later on Troy Gilmore's two-RBI triple to center. The Bulldogs (19-11, 6-5) rallied for six runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-5 lead and set up the "wild" eighth. Ochoa and O'Reilly both finished went 2-3, and Chris Henell picked up the win with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.