The Orange County Riptide enter this weekend in a precarious position, as the direction of their season largely seems to hang in the balance. While it might appear to be a crossroads of sorts, it really represents more of a decision deadline.
Only four games into the league season, the Riptide sit at .500 in SCCBL play with a 2-2 record. The more concerning marker of the team’s season, however, rests in its overall record. Riding a four-game losing streak, the Riptide limp back to Orange County with a dismal 4-10-1 record, following a road sweep at the hands of the reigning league-champion Palm Springs Power.
Is it premature to suggest that only four games into the 20-game SCCBL season, the Riptide sit on the cusp of utter implosion? Perhaps. Perhaps not as well. The true trajectory of the squad is wholly contingent on its collective attitude moving forward.
The Riptide will play four league contests in three days this weekend, well aware that Monday’s standings will all but assuredly reflect where the team will factor into the league race. Set to square off against a pair of league foes who also sit below the .500 mark, Inland Valley Bucs and Team San Diego, it’ll be Orange County’s time to decide its position in the SCCBL landscape.
As they enter the weekend riding a four-game losing streak, their second losing streak of such duration this summer, the course of the Riptide’s season likely hinges on this weekend’s games. Should the ‘Tide continue to struggle and drop three or four this weekend, their fate will be sealed. No number of motivational speeches or cautionary tales will be able to save them. Should the Riptide fall to 2-6 in league play, their brass can join in a chorus of, “Maybe next year,” all while claiming their spot in the cellar of the 2015 SCCBL.
On the contrary, a strong showing this weekend by the orange and blue could completely reverse its quickly mounting downward momentum and propel the squad to a level of confidence it has yet to enjoy this season. Head Coach Jason Smith and General Manager Moe Geoghegan will certainly hope for three or four wins from their club this weekend, as they too ought to be aware of the ramifications and possible snowball effect of continued struggles at this point in the season.
While the Riptide’s overall record suggests the team has failed to compete with its competition as a whole, their tale isn’t quite so simple. The most curious piece of the Riptide puzzle is how they have managed to take on the appearance of different teams at any given juncture.
For a moment, the orange and blue looked as though they might be a serious threat to sprint through league play after a largely dominating two-of-three series victory against the California Collegiate League’s SoCal Catch.
Yet, before the first weekend’s success could so much as sink in, the Riptide were thumped and smacked all the way back from Santa Barbara, following a three-game sweep at the hands of the reigning NBC Champion Santa Barbara Foresters, culminating in a 16-2 debacle on a forgettable Sunday afternoon.
Upon returning home, the Riptide looked destined for a tailspin just two days later when the San Diego Waves paid a visit to Vanguard University and rocked Riptide starting pitcher Justin Zielinski to the tune of seven runs in just three innings to surge ahead 7-0.
It was right then and there that something changed. Just two days prior, the Riptide were sent home from Santa Barbara licking their wounds, but, somehow, the young quad still had enough resolve to battle all the way back to a 7-7 deadlock. While the Riptide went on to fall 8-7 that evening, the magnitude of their performance carried considerably more weight than the latest addition to their loss column.
The next night, the team looked different. Cole Gray salvaged 3-3 a tie for his teammates on a perfect strike from center field to home to record the final out of the 10th inning. It might not have been a win, but Gray created enough luck for the ‘Tide to earn a tie.
That play was what the team needed to break through. Gray’s heroics took them to the cusp of a return to their impressive showing against the SoCal Catch, it was simply up to the other players to follow Gray’s lead and realize that they, themselves, were responsible for creating their own luck. Zach McLeod took that concept to heart two days later when he lifted the Riptide to a 12-inning win against the Inland Valley Pirates on the back of a walk-off double to score Caleb Henderson from second base. Finally, the winless streak was over.
Fresh off the previous night’s league win and brimming with confidence, the ‘Tide took to the road for the second half of a home-at-home with the Pirates, only to come crashing back to reality after surrendering a late lead to fall behind 4-2 entering the ninth inning. With defeat staring the Riptide in the eyes, the orange and blue responded with patience and some luck, en route to a five-run ninth inning rally to propel itself to a sweep of the Pirates and, for the first time this season, consecutive victories.
Perhaps the confidence of a 2-0 SCCBL record and a cup of coffee at the top of the standings saddled the Riptide with the same sense of complacency and entitlement that followed its series with the SoCal Catch.
Consecutive sweeps at the hands of the Los Angeles Brewers and the Palm Springs power have sent the Riptide reeling into its most crucial three-day stretch to date. The four-game losing streak is less concerning than the manner in which those games have been given away.
The previously sure-handed Orange County defense has crumbled to the lowest common denominator, most recently bobbling its way to four errors in a 12-1 road blowout at Palm Springs Stadium.
Offensively, the Riptide lineup has fallen dormant. Hitting with runners in scoring position has reached all-time futility levels, supported by the fact that the Riptide managed only a single run in the aforementioned 12-1 drubbing by the Power, despite benefiting from five errors committed by the Palm Springs defense. Had the Power’s starting pitcher, Angel Delgado, not been called for a balk in the top of the third inning, plating Nashea Diggs from third base, the Riptide would have left town a shutout victim for the third time this season.
With decision-time looming this weekend, the Riptide have two options as a locker room: fight to the last out and create their own fate or call it a summer and slide comfortably to the bottom of the standings. At the close of this weekend’s four games in three days, the Riptide’s trajectory will be all but set and the team’s decision will be clear. Should they sleepwalk through the weekend, no number of new pitchers or late additions will be able to save them. The only thing they’ll have left will be four words.
“Better luck next year.”