Tower Buzzers’ Balanced Attack Powers 9-4 Win Over Lake Elsinore

ONTARIO, Calif. — The Ontario Tower Buzzers bounced back from a tough opener with one of their sharpest games, piling up 13 hits in a 9-4 win over the Lake Elsinore Storm on Saturday night at ONT Field.

After falling behind by two runs early, Ontario’s lineup came alive. Seven different players got hits, five of them went for extra bases, and six Buzzers either scored or drove in a run. That steady effort evened up the three-game series.

Lake Elsinore scored unearned runs in each of the first two innings, both thanks to throwing errors from starter Mason Estrada. Even so, Estrada didn’t let things spiral—he steadied himself and kept Ontario within reach.

Ontario’s rally started in the second. Ching-Hsien Ko singled, setting up Easton Shelton, who smacked a double to left and cut the lead to 2-1. Shelton had himself a night, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI, and a run scored.

The next inning, the Tower Buzzers really grabbed hold of the game. Francisco Espinoza led off with a single and came around to score on Jaron Elkins’ RBI triple. Then Kellon Lindsey launched a two-run homer to center. Suddenly, Ontario was up 4-2, and they never gave the lead back.

In the sixth, the middle of the order delivered again. Shelton doubled once again, and Joendry Vargas brought him home with a ground-rule double down the right field line. Espinoza chipped in with another double that scored Vargas, and Ontario’s lead grew to 6-2.

Espinoza had his best game since joining Ontario, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. He even gunned down Bradley Frye trying to steal in the first.

Estrada earned his second win, giving up just two unearned runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six, walked two, and fired 54 strikes out of 85 pitches. After the third inning, he really locked in, retiring 10 of the last 12 batters he faced.

Lake Elsinore tried to mount a comeback, scoring in the seventh and eighth to make it 6-4. But Ontario answered right back in the bottom of the eighth with three insurance runs. Vargas reached on an error, Brendan Tunink walked, and Landyn Vidourek walked to load the bases. A wild pitch let Vargas score, then Elkins lined a two-run single to center.

Elkins finished 2-for-5 with a triple, three RBIs, and a run. Lindsey’s two-run homer set the tone, and Mairoshendrick Martinus and Vargas both added doubles.

Jecsua Liborius locked things down in the ninth, pitching a scoreless inning and striking out Alcides Hernandez to end it.

After going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position on Friday, Ontario turned things around with a 5-for-14 performance in those spots.

The series wraps up Sunday at ONT Field, with both teams looking to take the rubber match.