Sports Briefs: Bartram’s HR seals deal in COM win over Yuba

In the exciting baseball matchup between College of Marin (COM) and Yuba College, which took place on Thursday, April 7, 2022, at Yuba's home field in Marysville, California, it was the College of Marin Mariners who emerged victorious with a hard-fought 5-2 win. The deciding moment of the game came in the top of the ninth inning when College of Marin's freshman standout, Derek Bartram, stepped up to the plate and delivered a clutch home run, securing the win for his team.

The first few innings saw both teams displaying impressive pitching and defensive plays, with neither side able to gain the upper hand. It wasn't until the fifth inning when College of Marin managed to break the deadlock, scoring two runs, thanks to an RBI single from sophomore infielder, Jake Merrill, and an RBI groundout from freshman catcher, Jake Vander Wal.

Yuba responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, but the Mariners were not deterred. They regained their composure and added another run in the seventh, courtesy of an RBI single from sophomore outfielder, Jake DeSantis.

The stage was set for the dramatic ninth inning, with the score tied at 3-3. With one out and runners on first and second base, it was none other than Derek Bartram who stepped up to the plate. The freshman phenom, who had been having an impressive season, took a deep breath, focused his eyes on the pitcher, and swung his bat with power and precision, sending the ball soaring over the left field fence for a game-ending home run.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the Mariners celebrated their hard-earned victory, with Bartram being the center of attention for his heroics. The win improved College of Marin's record to 18-13, while Yuba fell to 14-18. The Mariners will look to carry this momentum into their next game, as they continue their quest for success in the Bay Valley Conference.