Visalia Roars Back to Beat Storm 9-4 in Series Opener

By Larry Belmontes

In a game that started off favorably for the visiting Lake Elsinore Storm, it was the Visalia Rawhide who clawed their way back and never looked back posting a statement making 9-4 victory in the opener of the regular season series Tuesday night at Valley Strong Ballpark in Visalia.

Early Fireworks from the Storm

Lake Elsinore wasted no time getting on the board early in this one as the top of the first inning saw Ryan Jackson score on a sharp line drive single to center by Victor Figueroa! That was followed by a booming double to right off the bat of Lamar King Jr. bringing home Kavares Tears and advancing Figueroa to third. Just like that, the Storm had a 2-0 lead and all the momentum. Things were looking up very early, too bad they couldn’t stay like that.

Visalia Answers Back

After a season much like the Storm’s so far, the Rawhide weren’t interested in playing from behind for long. In the bottom of the second, Adrian De Leon’s sacrifice fly brought Yerald Nin home to cut the deficit in half. Then, with two outs, Juan Corniel laced a single to center, tying the game as Abdias De La Cruz crossed the plate.

The third inning turned the tide entirely. Ruben Santana doubled in Slade Caldwell to give the Rawhide their first lead of the night. A walk to De La Cruz brought Santana home, aided by a wild pitch from Storm starter Will Varmette. A perfectly placed bunt single from Trent Youngblood made it 5-2, and De La Cruz added another run on an Adrian De Leon groundout, capping a four run inning that gave Visalia a commanding 6-2 lead. A great night turned sour for the Storm, but there was still time.

Storm Briefly Strikes Again

Lake Elsinore clawed back in the fourth. Colton Vincent delivered a clutch RBI single to center scoring Figueroa. Moments later, a hit by pitch with the bases loaded allowed Lamar King Jr. to score trimming the Rawhide lead to 6-4. The Storm began to creep; however, that would be the last run they would push across all night…

Rawhide Keep the Pressure On

In the sixth, the Rawhide extended their lead on another wild pitch, this one from reliever Igor Gil, that allowed Adrian Rodriguez to score. The Rawhide capitalized again in the eighth. Yerald Nin delivered a line drive single to left that brought in Yassel Soler. Trent Youngblood added a sac fly to make it 9-4 and put the game firmly out of reach.

Pitching Highlights

Visalia’s Adonys Wilfrido Perez, a 21-year-old out of La Romana, Dominican Republic, steadied himself after a rocky first inning, delivering key strikeouts and letting his offense do the work. The bullpen locked things down from there.

For Lake Elsinore, starter Will Varmette, who came out of Wallace State Community College in Alabama, started strong but unraveled quickly in the third, allowing multiple runs via a mix of hits, walks, and a costly wild pitch. The Storm bullpen also struggled with command, highlighted by another wild pitch that gave the Rawhide an extra run.

Striking Out the Side

Despite the score, both teams showed some dominance on the mound. Pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts, including key Ks from both starters in the early and middle innings. Kavares Tears, Colton Vincent, and Cobb Hightower were among the Storm hitters rung up at key moments, while De La Cruz, De Leon, and Youngblood each went down swinging for the Rawhide.

Looking Ahead

With game one in the books, the Rawhide take a (1–0) lead in the series and momentum into the next matchup. For Lake Elsinore, it’s back to the drawing board after letting an early lead slip away. The Storm will look to regroup and even the series behind a new arm on the hill Wednesday night.

Current California League Standings

California League South Division:

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers) are in complete control of the South with a league best (28-12) record going (7-3) over their last 10 games. Ten games behind are the Visalia Rawhide (Diamondbacks) at (18-22), closely followed by the Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) at (17-23),just a game back of Visalia. Rounding out the South are the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels) sitting at (14-26), 14 games off the pace.

California League North Division:

In the North, the Modesto Nuts (Mariners) lead the way with a strong (24-16) record despite a .500 record in their last 10 games. The San Jose Giants (Giants) sit three games back at (21-19). The Stockton Ports (Athletics) remain competitive at (20-20), and the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) round out the division at (18-22), but are gaining ground with a (7-3) run over their last 10.

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