Sam Reel - LA MIRADA, Calif

The SoCal Shepherds got back in the win column on Wednesday with a 13-2 victory over the California Cage Rats. Every aspect of the Shepherds performance was impressive, starting with starting pitcher Cory Treyes on the mound. Treyes went five innings, allowing two runs and striking out five and never was any real trouble. Andrew White, Anthony Reynoso, and Austin Hallman combined to pitch four shutout innings out of the bullpen, with Hallman throwing a perfect ninth to seal it.

The Shepherds' offense impressed again, as the unit that leads the Sunset League in runs scored put up thirteen on the day. Every starter in the lineup reached base for the Shepherds and had twelve hits total. Tommy Acuna got things started in the bottom of the first with a two-run single to left. Acuna would add on a double later in the game for his third multi-hit game of the season.

Chad Ragland would tack on a run with an RBI single, and Joey Scotvold would drive in two with a double. Ragland has now reached base in every game of the season thus far, and currently has an OBP of .558. Right fielder Tanner Smith had another huge game, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Smith's solo home run in the bottom of the third was his third of the season, and he just missed his fourth home run of the season in the seventh with a ground-rule double to straightaway center field. Smith finished with four RBI on the day, bringing his season total to sixteen.

Noah Reitmeyer and Sebastian Dunn each drove in a run and had two-hit days. Reitmeyer is now hitting .450 in limited playing time (20 ABs). Shepherds' sparkplug Sawyer Smith scored three runs out of the number ten-hole in the lineup. In addition to an RBI double in the seventh, Smith walked twice and stole a base.

The Sheps now sit at 5-7 on the season through the twelve games played. They will be back in action tomorrow at 5 pm as they take on the Inland Valley Pirates.