Getting eliminated in the playoffs in any sport is frustrating to experience or watch as an audience member or a member of the team. The Los Angeles Lakers won the series against the Golden State Warriors in six games, and you could see the denial forming on the faces of the Warriors’ players when the game ended.

The Los Medanos College Mustangs faced off against the Fresno City Rams in a win-or-go-home game for both teams. Whoever won this match would face the Folsom Lake Falcons in a double header on May 13. The game ended disastrously for the Mustangs, and they would lose 11-8 and be officially eliminated from postseason contention.

In the top of the first inning, the Rams got on board first as Mark Baca hit a sacrifice fly scoring Jake Curtis from third base. In the bottom of the first inning, the Mustangs tied up the game after Bubba Rocha hit a single, scoring Ryan Pierce from second base.

The second inning was quiet for both teams as they wouldn’t be able to reach base due to AJ Gamboa, pitcher for the Mustangs, and Herman Luna, pitcher for the Rams, would get through the inning.

In the top of the third inning, the Rams had runners on first and third with two outs in the inning. Mark Baca stole second and Brady Zavorek would score as the ball was thrown to second. Stangs were quiet in the bottom half of the inning.

In the fourth inning, both teams would score three runs for their teams bringing the score to 5-4 in favor of Fresno City. Fresno City got their runs through a single by Kristian Gomez scoring in two runs and another run scoring on a wild pitch from Kenny Esposito. Esposito would be brought into the game after Gamboa showed discomfort in his arm and would tell his coach he couldn’t go further. 

The Mustangs got their runs by a single by Colton Trudeau scoring Nico Torrez, and a double by Seth Gwynn scoring two runners. 

The next two innings were quiet for both teams as the Rams would hold a 5-4 lead going into the seventh inning.

In the top of the seventh inning, the Rams would score two more runs through a sacrifice fly from Wyatt Gibson and a single from Arthur Navarette extending the Rams lead to 7-4 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning. The Mustangs did manage to score one run in the bottom half of the inning as Michael Weber hit a sacrifice fly scoring Seth Gwynn from third base.

The Rams couldn’t score in the top of the eighth inning as they had a 7-5 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the Mustangs threatened with bases loaded and only one out on a pop out by Trudeau. Gwynn came up to the plate and hit the ball into the outfield, scoring two runs for the Stangs, tying up the game at seven. Pierce would then ground the ball to the third baseman and be called out, meanwhile Kris Leffle would score, giving the Stangs an 8-7 lead going into the ninth inning.

The Rams had bases loaded with no one out and up to the plate came Arthur Navarette. He smashed the ball over the right field fence garnering a grand slam for his team and retaking the lead. The half inning ended with LMC down 11-8 with three outs remaining.

The game ended with three straight strikeouts from Weber, Rocco Borelli and Torrez eliminating the Stangs from the 2023 California Community College Athletic Association Championships.