RIDGEFIELD — Cameron Repetti was fuming when he walked up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth.
He had struck out twice on the night, and allowed a solo home run just moments prior.
“I thought, ‘Man, I’m not helping my team at all,” Repetti said. “I was so mad.”
Three pitches later, he saw his chance for redemption — a slider down the middle — and delivered a go-ahead two-run home run to dead center field.
He returned to the mound and retired the side in order, giving the Ridgefield Raptors a 3-2 win over the Yakima Valley Pippins, the first in franchise history.
It’s been a busy week for the Cal State Fullerton signee. He graduated from Cypress High School in California and got drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 36th round Wednesday.
Now, he’s headed to Canada, along with the Raptors (1-2), for a three-game series with the Kelowna Falcons (1-2). A 10-hour bus ride starts at 4:45 a.m. Friday.
“It’s going to help a lot,” Repetti said. “We’re getting pretty close … and we’re going to get a lot closer.”
Hold on, Hicks — Boise State senior-to-be Michael Hicks’ double down the left-field line tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Two batters later, he had a chance to give the Raptors the lead on Steve Ramirez’s single to center field, but was given the stop sign as he rounded third base, and retreated. He remained there, and the game stayed 1-1 until the eighth.
Whatever you can do, I can do better — Repetti responded to Stanford signee Owen Cobb’s eighth-inning home run with a two-run blast to center field in the bottom half of the frame. It proved to be the game-winner.
Franchise first — Grand Canyon University sophomore-to-be Jonny Weaver ranged far to his right, snagged the grounder and fired across the diamond for the game’s final out and the Raptors’ first franchise win.
Zach Barnes — The Grand Canyon junior-to-be Zach Barnes was electric in striking out eight batters on 66 pitches over six innings for the Raptors. He allowed four hits, one run and no walks, while tossing a fastball in the low-90s.
Cameron Repetti — The recent high school graduate started the game at third base and had four assists, before striking out two batters in two innings on the hill and earning the win. He also went 1 for 4 at the plate with a two-run home run.
Jonny Weaver — Impressive at shortstop with three assists, Weaver also went 2 for 4 with a pair of runs.
10 — Batters the Raptors sent to the plate before Weaver recorded Ridgefield’s first hit of the night, an infield single back up the middle in the bottom of the fourth inning. Weaver stole second and then scored on Michael Hicks’ RBI double the next at-bat.
11 — The pitches it took Barnes to strike out the side in the top of the first inning. The Raptor starter used just six pitches to strike out the first two batters and didn’t throw a ball until his eighth pitch.
466 — Miles between Ridgefield and Kelowna, the location of the Raptors’ first and farthest road trip of the season.
