Arroyo Seco Saints batty over first World Series setback

The game hit a low point for Arroyo Seco after Chinese Taipei packed on five more runs on six hits in the third inning, but the Saints did bounce back in the bottom half.

Crescenta Valley High graduate Elliot Surrey singled to right field to drive in Dominique Davis for the Saints' first run and St. Francis' Brandon Van Horn singled to plate Surrey two batters later.

First baseman Chris DeVito doubled to score Davis and St. Francis' David Olmedo-Barrera and make it 12-4, but the Saints stranded runners at first and third to end the inning.

Arroyo Seco finally retired Chinese Taipei in order in the fourth, but couldn't score in the fourth or fifth while Chinese Taipei tacked runs onto its lead with single tallies in the fifth and sixth.

Josh Clark and Davis singled back to back with one out in the sixth and both scored on an Olmedo-Barerra double to right field. DeVito picked up another RBI to make it 14-7, but Chinese Taipei again had the last laugh with another three-spot in the top of the seventh to quell any thought of a Saints comeback.

"I'm not excusing us, they hit the ball, we kicked a few balls," Milam said. "But it plays with a team mentally. They think they're at a competitive disadvantage to begin with and you lose focus from the game and that's really what we did."