Heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Live Oak was cruising to what seemed like an easy win.
Pioneer was shutout for five innings where the Mustangs were held to just two hits and four base runners.
But the wheels came off in the bottom of the sixth, derailing not just Live Oak’s hopes of completing the sweep against Pioneer, but also ending the Acorns’ bid for a league title.
Pioneer loaded the bases with no outs and tied the game with back-to-back doubles en route to a five-run inning and ultimately to a 5-4 win.
The Acorns fall to 6-6 in Mt Hamilton Division play. Division leader Branham (9-3) won on Thursday, mathematically eliminating Live Oak from league title contention.
Things fell apart quickly in the sixth, and just as quickly ended.
Sean Rooney led off the inning with a single that just made it out of the infield, followed by Josh Smith being hit by a pitch and Grant Ford walking to load the bases.
Two pitches later, the bases were cleared when Jayce Clark launched a double to deep right-center field. Two pitches after that, the game was tied when Michael Rojko doubled to left center.
After Rojko advanced to third on a ground-out to first, Adam Jennings got the game-winning RBI on a squeeze play.
Live Oak threatened in the seventh inning, putting Justin Sanders in scoring position with one out, but was stranded thanks to a strikeout and a ground ball to second.
The Acorns are now in a tie for fourth place with Pioneer with two to play.
Willow Glen and Leigh are a game up in second with Branham holding a two-game lead in first.
Live Oak is still in good shape to at least receive an at-large bid to the playoffs, but will need to knock off Branham in a two-game set next week for a chance at an automatic berth.
It’s a position that Live Oak didn’t want to be in going into the final week of play and not the position that the Acorns thought they were in after five innings Thursday.
The Acorns found ways to get runs early on, with Sanders stealing his way to a run in the first inning.
After reaching on a one-out single, he advanced on a wild pitch, stole third and finally stole home for a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning, Live Oak made it 3-0 when Jacob Ryder, Josh Alaniz and Sanders led off with back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases.
Kyle Riveron drove Ryder home on a ground ball to second and Michael Porras drove in Alaniz with a single to center.
Live Oak scored its final run in the fifth when Alaniz scored on a squeeze play from Porras.
Despite the four runs, it will be the runners left in scoring position that will stick in Live Oak’s craw.
The Acorns had seven runners in scoring position who failed to score, including one getting doubled off at second on a ground ball to short and a runner getting picked off at third to end the fifth inning.
Live Oak had runners on second with one out in both the sixth and seventh innings and failed to get them home.
The Acorns will enter the final week of regular season play at Branham on Tuesday, before returning home on May 7 in their last game before the Mt. Hamilton Division Tournament.
First pitch for both games is 4 p.m.
