17u Baseball ITZ Vipers Elite vs West Coast A’s 7.10.25

Late-Inning Explosion Pushes West Coast A’s Past ITZ Vipers

For five innings, it was a tight, low-scoring duel. But in the sixth, the West Coast A’s bats came alive, plating seven runs in a stunning late-inning burst that carried them to a 7–2 win over the ITZ Vipers Elite on Thursday morning.

The Vipers jumped on the board early. In the bottom of the first, Mateo Flores reached after being hit by a pitch, stole second, and came around to score on a triple from Zachary Mermis, who stayed hot at the plate all game with a 2-for-3 effort. It was the kind of early momentum the Vipers were looking for after a tough stretch of games.

Meanwhile, starter Brady Trujillo worked out of jams and kept the A’s mostly quiet through five, allowing just one run—unearned—in the second after a passed ball and infield miscue allowed the tying run to cross.

But things unraveled in the sixth.

The A’s sent 10 batters to the plate, taking advantage of free passes, an error, and timely contact to put up a seven-run inning. RBI hits from #55 and #4, along with a sharp single from Martzall—who went 3-for-4 on the day—blew the game open. What had been a 1–1 grind quickly turned into a commanding 7–1 lead for West Coast.

The Vipers pushed back in the bottom of the sixth. Maddox Taylor led off with a single, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Mermis. Cameron Tichenor followed with a single of his own, but a sharply hit liner and double play halted the rally before it could gain traction.