Lake Elsinore Storm Win in Walk-off Fashion Against Inland Empire 66ers

The Lake Elsinore Storm played their second game against the Inland Empire 66ers on Wednesday night and top prospect, Samuel Zavala, sent the Storm Faithful home happy with a walk-off, RBI double in the bottom of the ninth.

Before the jubilation, came some growing pains. After two electric frames from starting pitcher, Jagger Haynes, he was removed from the game and replaced by new (recently activated onto the Storm roster) and old (played for the Storm in 2021) friend, Nick Thwaits. Unfortunately, Thwaits would immediately run into trouble and allow three runs to score, two being credited to Haynes, to put the Storm down 3-0.

As they have for most of the year, the Storm remained resilient. Kai Murphy would launch his third home run of the season over the right field wall to cut the lead to just one run. The 66ers would tack on one more in the fifth inning before the Storm responded in the sixth inning with an RBI double from Rosman Verdugo.

Then, in the seventh, Ethan Salas would hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. His second consecutive game getting a run home via the sacrifice.

In the top of the ninth, the tension rose. A lead-off single off of the ever-steady Kobe Robinson would make the rest of the inning a high wire act. A sacrifice bunt would push the runner to second base and a passed ball would get him to third. A swinging bunt would send the runner rushing home but Robinson was prepared. He would charge the ball, flip it home, and Salas would perfectly apply the tag that saved the run and possibly the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, the 66ers would also allow a baserunner on an infield pop-up that neither the first baseman or catcher would take charge and commit to. This would bring Samuel Zavala to the plate and the rest was written in the stars. An RBI double would win the game as a victorious Zavala stood proudly at second base before his teammates embraced him with a sports drink shower to celebrate his feat.

The Storm play again tomorrow night at the same time, against the same team, and at the same place for game three of their seventh homestand of the season.

-Written by Justin Jett