Valencia spent a fall Saturday morning doing the hardest part, getting on base, and lost anyway. The Vikings drew eleven walks against Chaminade but managed only five hits, and a two-run homer in the third proved the difference in a 5-4, eight-inning loss.

Chaminade struck first in a first inning the scorekeeper closed early, then broke through in the third: a walk, a wild pitch, a throwing error, an RBI single, and the two-run shot to right for a 4-0 lead. Valencia answered immediately with a third built almost entirely of patience, five walks in the inning, Evan Conrad scoring on a passed ball and Ryan Nguyen lining a two-run double to left, 4-3.

The teams traded single runs in the sixth, Valencia's rally there cut short when Charlie Romanelli was thrown out at the plate on Brady Ruffner's run-scoring single. The bullpen kept it close: Brett Cormany struck out four across the sixth and seventh, and Romanelli struck out the side in the eighth around a single.

The last chance was agonizing. Justin Gaisford, aboard for the fourth time, gave way to courtesy runner Kyle Josing, who stole second and reached third with one out; Tyler Lord walked; and the game ended on a called third strike with the tying run ninety feet away.