Southwest takes down Imperial at Petco Park, 6-2, in John Baumgarten Classic
SAN DIEGO (KYMA) - It was a night these players will be talking about for years, stepping onto a Major League field at Petco Park, but in the end, Southwest Eagles turned the moment into a 6-2 win over Imperial Tigers.
The two teams traded punches early, each scoring two runs in the first inning. But from there, Southwest took control behind a strong outing from senior pitcher Johrden Niebla.
After giving up those early runs, Niebla settled in and shut down Imperial the rest of the way, keeping the game tied until the Eagles broke through in the fifth.
That's when Southwest created separation, putting together a three-run inning and taking advantage of defensive struggles from Imperial, who committed three errors on the night. The Eagles added one more in the seventh to close out the 6-2 victory.
Imperial showed flashes at the plate with six hits, including a two-hit performance from Jacob Salgado, while Ayden Avila battled on the mound, striking out eight in a complete-game effort. But beyond the scoreboard, the night was about something bigger.
"This must be a blast how cool is it to get to be out here?" Imperial sophomore Santonio Ureña said. "Oh, amazing, man. It's a great opportunity to come out here and be able to play baseball on this beautiful field…definitely a time to cherish this moment, to come out here with my brothers and have some fun."
That same feeling carried over to the Southwest side, where the experience matched the team’s success.
"It’s surreal. I love being here…this is my favorite team, I'm so excited to be here right now," said senior Brock London. "Once you get out there and throw the ball around, it feels amazing…you watch players out here and now you’re in their footsteps...it's just an amazing environment."
For Imperial head coach Javier Ramos, the opportunity itself is what stands out most.
"Yeah, absolutely. We know that it's a once in a lifetime for a lot of us, and hopefully some of these guys will make it here as professionals," Ramos said. "But it's a dream for those kids, and we're happy for them to have this opportunity."
Ramos added that even for a program that has been here before, the moment never loses its meaning.
"As a coach, this is our third team that we're bringing, and every year, it's the same excitement for the kids," he said. "Only one player from the last time we played here is with us today, so that's 17 new guys with a new experience...we're happy for them."
On the other side, Southwest head coach Jerry Niebla said his team earned this opportunity through months of work, and made the most of it.
"You know what, these guys work hard. It's the work ethic that sets them apart," Niebla said. "They start in the summer, in the weight room, go throughout the fall working out…they know each other so well and play together so well. Any day, somebody can come in and do something special for this team."
Niebla also pointed to the bigger impact of the moment, not just for players, but for families and the community.
"It's a fun experience for the younger kids, a fun experience for the parents, and the whole community as well," he said.
In the end, Southwest walks away with the win, but both teams leave Petco Park with something far more lasting: The chance to live out a big-league dream.
