For the second game in a row, the Sea Kings Varsity spotted the Fountain Valley Barons an early lead and then came up just short in their seventh inning rally. The Barons hung on to win 4-3.
Down by four runs heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Sea Kings mounted a furious rally, but just as in game two of the series, the Sea Kings ultimately stranded the tying runner on second base.
The rally began with a one-out single by Princeton-commit Vincent Menard (‘25). After Brady Gadol (‘25) fought back from an 0-2 count to produce a single, Ganon Overfelt (‘25) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The Barons made a pitching change, but Charlie Kaster (‘26) drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in the Sea Kings’ first run.
After a Sea Kings’ strikeout, Marc Solomon (‘25) drove a full-count offering into center field to bring home Gadol and Overfelt, and the score was 4-3. The second hit by pitch of the inning then put Sea Kings runners on first and second bases, but Fountain Valley was able to choke off the rally at that point and emerge victorious.
Despite not breaking through on the scoreboard until the final inning, the Sea Kings offense did produce base runners in every inning. Starting pitcher Stevie Jones (‘26) tried to help his own cause by going two for four on the day, and extended his on-base streak to five games in doing so. Gadol was also two for four, stole a base and scored a run.
Menard filled up the box score with a one for three day that included a walk, a run scored and a stolen base.
Catcher Kaster reached base twice with a single and a walk, and drove in a run.
Solomon lead the team with two RBI, while going one for three and being hit by a pitch.
Reliever Noah Bertrand (‘25) entered the game in the sixth inning with a man on second and a run already in for the Barons in the frame. Bertrand was able to put out the fire when he induced a ground ball for the third out. For the game, he pitched one and one-third innings, allowing only one hit and no runs.
The Sea Kings Varsity next play a make-up game at San Clemente on Saturday, March 29.