Summer Collegiate Baseball: Walkoff hits make winners of both the Blues and the Rattlers

By Tribune staff report

Chris Hall's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning lifted the San Luis Obispo Blues to an 8-7 summer collegiate baseball win Wednesday over the host Santa Maria Valley Packers at John Osborne Field.

In a game that saw the lead change five times, the Blues (38-13) went ahead for good when Hall's sacrifice fly plated Ryan Aguayo.

Nick Sullivan had a two-run home run in a 4-for-6 performance to lead San Luis Obispo, which outhit Santa Maria 15-10. Also for the Blues, John Santopadre was 3 for 5, and Aguayo and Phil Ortez had two hits apiece.

With eight regular-season games remaining, the Blues are within range of achieving their most wins since 2002, when the team went 43-27.

SLO Rattlers 5, Santa Maria Indians 4

Brian McConkey hit a walkoff, two-run double to give the Rattlers a crucial California Collegiate League win over the Indians at SLO Stadium.

The Rattlers (29-20, 16-12 CCL) halted a five-game league losing streak with the win, and because of the Santa Barbara Forester's loss Wednesday night, can still potentially win the league with help from other teams.

Prior to the five-game losing streak, the Rattlers had been gunning for a berth in the NBC World Series.