Nordhoff 4, Sharks 3

The Sharks suffered their third consecutive loss as the Nordhoff High Rangers broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the bottom of the seventh in Ojai on Tuesday. The loss was Malibu's first of the season in Frontier League play.

Brooks Fitch on the mound against Nordhoff.

Nordhoff jumped out to a 2-0 lead off Malibu starter Brooks Fitch with three consecutive singles, a fielder's choice, and an error on a ground ball that might have ended the inning. Malibu countered with two runs in the top of the second on back--to-back doubles by Jamie Van Soelen and Geoff Roth followed by a two-out single by Colbie Bell.

The Sharks had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth but failed to score as Fitch grounded into a 5-2-3 double play. Nordhoff came back in the bottom of the inning and broke the tie on a solo home run over the left field fence.

Malibu tied the game again in the top of the sixth. Van Soelen singled to left and moved to second on the Nordhoff outfielder's error. Roth followed with a single up the middle that drove in Van Soelen.

The Sharks got a runner to third in the top of the seventh with one out but were unable to score. In the bottom of the inning, Fitch walked the first batter, hit the second, and gave up a single to right that scored the game-winning run.

For Malibu, Daniel Williams was three-for-four. Jamie Van Soelen and Geoff Roth were both two-for-three with a double and a single. Brett Weinstock had two sacrifice bunts. Brooks Fitch gave up just two earned runs in six-plus innings on the mound.