Butte scores twince in the 9th to beat the Panthers 8-7; Sawyer shines in relief with 4 scoreless innings
Butte Holds On for 8-7 Win Over Sacramento City
Butte (5-2) edged Sacramento City (5-3) in a dramatic finish, taking an 8-7 victory on February 5, 2025. The game was a thrilling back-and-forth battle, with Butte rallying late to secure the win after Sacramento City had come from behind.
Butte's Early Lead and Sacramento City's Comeback
Butte opened the scoring in the second inning with a 3-run rally, as Drew Carrington delivered a 3-RBI double, bringing in Nathan Brown, Brent Gallegos, and Trent Van Nuys to make it 3-0. Sacramento City responded in the third, with Levi Sotomayor's single driving in Brady Wilson to cut the lead to 3-1. Butte continued to build their lead, with Van Nuys homering in the fourth to make it 4-1, and Jaden Thomson adding two more RBIs in the fifth, pushing the lead to 6-1.
Sacramento City wasn't done, though. They erupted in the bottom of the fifth, scoring six runs to take a 7-6 lead. Jackson Norton's 2-RBI single and Brady Wilson's 2-RBI hit helped fuel the rally, with a key error and a sacrifice fly contributing to the scoring. Sacramento City went ahead 7-6 after Brenden Murphy's RBI error-assisted groundout.
Butte's Ninth-Inning Heroics
Butte answered back in the top of the ninth, with Thomson doubling in two more runs, scoring Gallegos and Aidan Santos to put Butte ahead 8-7. Sacramento City couldn't respond in the bottom half, and Butte held on for the win.
Pitching Efforts
Butte's pitching staff held firm after a rough start. Starter Brandon Doran went 3.1 innings, allowing six runs (one earned) while striking out one. Nicholas Guidry and Austin Stapleton each threw solid relief innings, with Gino Marble earning the save by closing out the game. Mason Ali (1-0) picked up the win for his perfect inning of relief.
For Sacramento City, Landon Dodge took the loss (0-1) after allowing two runs in the ninth. Nick Sawyer pitched four scoreless innings of solid relief, keeping the game close until City took the lead in the bottom of the 6th inning.
Key Performances:
Butte:
- Jaden Thomson: 2-for-3, 4 RBIs
- Trent Van Nuys: 2-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBIs
- Drew Carrington: 1-for-3, 3 RBIs
- Gino Marble (Sv, 1): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO
Sacramento City:
- Levi Sotomayor: 3-for-4, 1 RBI
- Jackson Blakley: 2-for-3
- Jackson Norton: 1-for-3, 2 RBIs
- Brady Wilson: 2-for-5, 2 RBIs
