The Inland Valley Bucs earned their first victory of the season knocking off the defending league champion San Diego Force 4-3.
Jordan Hernandez got things going offensively for the Bucs. He led off the bottom of the first with a double and then scored on an RBI single by clean up hitter Brandon Alamo.
The 1-0 lead lasted until the top of the sixth when the Force scored three runs on just one hit. Bucs Reliever Sean Patton walked the first two hitters of the inning. Then Inland Valley third baseman Garrett Calvert committed a costly throwing error after fielding a bunt off the bat of Carl Schwettman which allowed Derek Nakasato to score. Two batters later Avery Tuck delivered a two-run double.
Inland Valley’s offense came to life in the bottom of the eighth. Rudy Casarez led off with a single and Jordan Hernandez followed with his second double of the game. Two outs later Jacob Doty came through with an RBI single. The Bucs tied it up at 3 following a throwing error by San Diego second baseman Brady Groesbeck.
Mason Corneliussen came out of the Bucs bullpen to pitch a scoreless ninth. That set the stage for Jordan Hernandez. He came to the plate with two out and Rudy Casarez at first. Hernandez lined a pitch off San Diego reliever Garrett Yocum that landed just out of the reach of center fielder Carl Schwettman allowing Casarez to score all the way from first.
The Bucs return to non-league action on Thursday as they face the Solano Beach Cardinals.