Storm Bats Silenced as Visalia Takes Game 3

By Larry Belmontes

The Lake Elsinore Storm came into Thursday night’s matchup with hopes of bouncing back in Game 3 of their series against the Visalia Rawhide. Unfortunately for the home crowd at The Diamond, Visalia struck early and never looked back, riding a three run homer and a dominant pitching performance to a 5-2 victory.

A First-Inning Blow

The Rawhide wasted no time jumping on Storm starter Boston Bateman, a promising 2024 second round pick, who got a rude welcome in the opening frame. After allowing a pair of baserunners, Bateman faced Ruben Santana, who launched his second homer of the season to dead center instantly flipping the momentum with a 3-0 Visalia lead.

Though the Storm answered in the bottom half thanks to a clutch RBI double by Zach Evans, which scored Ryan Jackson and advanced Lamar King Jr. to third, they couldn’t complete the rally. Ryan Wilson struck out with two on and two out, stranding the tying run.

A Game of Missed Chances

Lake Elsinore had multiple opportunities to claw back, including a promising fifth inning that began with a Jackson double and Kasen Wells reaching third with nobody out. However, the heart of the order, Tears, King Jr., and Hollow, went down on strikes in succession, killing what could’ve been the turning point.

Visalia padded their lead in the sixth with a timely single from Adrian Rodriguez, scoring Adrian De Leon and extending the lead to 5-2. From there, the Rawhide bullpen took control, holding Lake Elsinore hitless and scoreless through the final four innings.

Pitching Duel with a Sharp Edge

Lorenzo Encarnacion started for Visalia and, while not overpowering, was effective in key moments. The 23 year old righty mixed speeds well and worked around trouble, getting big strikeouts when needed. The Rawhide bullpen picked up where he left off, punching out nine Storm hitters over the final five frames.

Meanwhile, Bateman showed flashes of promise but struggled with command. He gave up four earned runs over five innings, and while he did record several strikeouts, including a perfect top of the sixth, it wasn’t enough to keep his team within reach.

Strikeout City

Offense was at a premium on both sides, with a total of 33 strikeouts recorded, 19 by Storm hitters alone, including four by Zach Evans despite his earlier RBI double. Lake Elsinore’s inability to string together contact proved fatal, as their lineup was mowed down inning after inning. Visalia takes game three 5-2.

Looking Ahead

With Visalia now holding a 2-1 series edge, the Storm will look to even things up tonight in Game 4. The key? Converting on scoring chances and shortening at bats, something they’ll need to fix quickly if they want to avoid a series loss at home.

Current California League Standings

In the Cal South division, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes sit atop the standings at 11-7. Visalia’s win last night helped them improve to 7-11, good for second place but still four games back. The Inland Empire 66ers are right behind at 6-12, while the Lake Elsinore Storm find themselves at the bottom with a 5-13 record, trailing by six games.

Over in the Cal North division, the Modesto Nuts lead the way with a stellar 13-5. The Stockton Ports are just a game behind at 12-6, while the San Jose Giants sit three games back at 10-8. The Fresno Grizzlies round out the division at 8-10.