Wildcats need nine innings to beat Olympian

CHULA VISTA — Playing on the road on Thursday, the Brawley Wildcats found themselves caught up in their second extra-inning game of this young season, needing nine frames to hand the Olympian High Eagles their first loss of the season, 6-4.

The Wildcats spent most of Thursday’s game with the lead, scoring two runs in the top of the first and another in the top of the second while starter Angel Brodell twirled four shutout frames, inducing plenty of favorable contact as he spaced out three hits while striking out two and walking one.

Milton Rosales relieved Brodell in the fifth and kept things clean for the next couple of inning before getting tagged for three in the bottom of the seventh, forcing the game to go overtime, as the Wildcats had not managed to score any runs in the interim, racking up seven strikeouts against Olympian’s Armando Marquez Jr.

The eighth inning passed without event for either side, but Brawley’s bats finally stirred again in the top of the ninth, pushing three runs across the plate to give new pitcher Augustine Torres some breathing room in the bottom of the inning — breathing room that proved necessary as he gave up one last run to Olympian before closing things out.

Nathan Torrez had a great day at the plate for the Wildcats, going 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. Tennessee Carranza also hit well, logging two doubles, one RBI and scoring a run.

Pitcher of record Torres had a hit and an RBI, while Tanner Carranza and Jeremiah De La Trinidad each had a hit and scored a run.

The win give the Wildcats an overall record of 5-1. They played again on Friday, against the Vaqueros at El Capitan High.