Bullpen’s strong showing helps BC beat COS 9-5

College of the Sequoias certainly had no shortage of opportunities Tuesday evening at Bakersfield College.

After tying the game 5-5 in the third inning when Zach Milhous bounced a two-RBI double over the glove of third baseman Jordan Lopez, the Giants managed to put on 10 additional baserunners during the remainder of the game.

However, BC starter Max Brooks managed a quick recovery and relievers David Delgadillo and Alex Rodriguez combined for more than four shutout innings as the Renegades took home a 9-5 win.

“That’s where we’re finding a lot of our strength, in our bullpen,” BC coach Kurt Townson said. “Those guys are selfless, they’re not selfish, they understand there’s a role there ... As long as we continue to pound the zone and challenge hitters, our bullpen will continue to put us in a good place to win.”

Before Brooks left the game, Lopez dropped a go-ahead single into center field to score Alek Martinez, and Trevor Spainhoward perfectly executed a hit-and-run, doubling down the right-field line to bring home Lopez and Ryan Redstone and make it 8-5.

Then winning pitcher Delgadillo struck out three in 3 1/3 innings, and in the meantime Martinez added one extra RBI single, bringing home Luis Fuentes

after a Drew Townson bunt.

On the whole, the Renegades were productive up and down the lineup. Fuentes went 3-for-5 with a walk in the No. 1 spot to lead BC, but Drew Townson, Martinez, Redstone, Lopez and Spainhoward had two hits each. Although he grounded into a bases-loaded double play in the second inning, Spainhoward still totaled four RBIs at No. 7.

“It’s good to be able to have the ability to execute,” Kurt Townson said. “And (when) you can turn the lineup over down in that area to get back to the top, that’s crucial, it’s key, and so far they’ve been able to do that.”

Spainhoward was matched by the Giants’ Milhous, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two doubles. Besides his third-inning double, Milhous also knocked in a bases-loaded two-RBI single to right-center field that gave COS its early 2-0 lead.

The advantage was short-lived

as BC jumped on starter Greyson Gregory immediately, scoring five runs on four hits, a walk and an error. Julian Lopez loaded the bases after replacing Gregory but escaped the inning when Drew Townson struck out looking.

Even though COS tallied 12 hits, no player managed more than one besides Milhous.

Logan Schweizer made his single hit count with an unexpected home run to left field off Brooks in the third inning, kickstarting the run that culminated with a Milhous double.

BC has strung together a nice stretch of three straight wins after dropping its season opener, but the Renegades will have to adjust to a significant increase in degree of difficulty when Ohlone comes to town Saturday. The (other) Renegades spent part of last season ranked No. 1 in the state. After that comes a three-game series with a formidable El Camino squad.

“We’re just thinking about tomorrow, practice,” Townson said. “That’s it. That’s how we stay focused.”