Offensive Erupts in Opening Day Shutout!

Offensive Erupts in Opening Day Shutout; Reis Named Player of the Game

By Micah Rodriguez

Coming off back-to-back California Collegiate League championships, the Conejo Oaks opened their 2026 season against the Coastal Dodgers in their inaugural season at Pirate Park, home of Ventura College, with a 15–0 win. 

The Oaks opened up the scoring in the bottom half of the first. Second baseman Nate Lopez drew a one out walk and came around to score on an RBI double off the base off the right field wall by first baseman Tyson Reis. The following batter, third baseman Rider Gordon, ripped a single to left, scoring Reis from second to put the Oaks ahead 2–0 after the first.

In the bottom of the third, with the score still 2–0, every Oaks batter came to the plate. Center fielder Tyler Antwine smoked a leadoff home run off the netting beyond the left field wall. Reis followed with a single, and with one out, designated hitter Dylan Jackson reached on an error to put runners on the corners. Reis scored on a wild pitch, and Jackson came around to score on an RBI double down the left field line by left fielder Luke Medhurst. Catcher Aiden Voyles singled through the left side to once again put runners on the corners. Shortstop Zach Mora lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Medhurst and make it a 6–0 game. 

On the mound, right-hander Jaden Kolkowski was stellar in his first start of the summer. The rising sophomore spun three scoreless innings, scattering one run and one walk while tallying two strikeouts. 

"Location and command," Kolkowski said when asked what aspects of his game he looks to further improve this summer. "That's been a big issue with me. [Throwing] more strikes is definitely what I'm trying to work on."

In the bottom of the fifth, the Oaks offense made some wholesale substitutions and exploded for seven runs to break the game open. Shortstop Zach Nagy led off with a ground ball single up the middle and right fielder Brandon Contreras followed with a single to put two runners on. A passed ball moved the runners up, and after a walk to second baseman Grant Rodriguez, two more passed balls scored Nagy and Contreras to make it an 8–0 game. Antwine walked, and Reis delivered his third hit of the game, a single to left, to score Rodriguez. 

Third baseman Danny Aguilera drew a walk in his first at-bat and the ensuing batter, infielder Matthew Witkow, walked to score Antwine from third. First baseman Caden Stillwell was hit by a pitch to score Reis and Nagy singled to right to score Aguilera. Another passed ball scored Witkow and the Oaks held a 13–0 lead after five.

In relief of Kolkowski, right-hander Kyle Zahn tossed two spotless frames and racked up three strikeouts. Left-hander Ty Hanley followed with a scoreless sixth and right-hander Arnold Wu worked around two walks in a scoreless seventh. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Witkow led off with an infield single and scored on an RBI groundout to second base from Stillwell to make it 14–0.

Right-hander Hector Valdez worked a clean top of the eighth inning. Contreras led off the inning with a double down the right field line and scored on an infield single from Antwine to make it 15–0.

After allowing a leadoff double in the top of the ninth, Branden Lowe struck out the side to secure the Oaks' opening day victory.

The Oaks offense combined for 15 hits and 12 walks while the pitching staff held the Dodgers to five hits and only walked four batters. 

Reis earned Player of the Game honors after going 3–3 with a walk and two RBIs in the season opener. 

It was Oaks Head Coach David Soliz's first time seeing Reis in person. 

"I'd never had a chance to see him play," Soliz said. "Knowing his body of work, he's very offensive. Yesterday, his swings in [batting practice] and coming out in the game today, you can tell [offensively] it's a plus."

After the team met yesterday for the first time, opening day served as a way for the coaching staff to better understand each player's skill set. 

"Obviously, the result we got was nice, but at the same time, it was more about just getting on the field for the first time," Soliz said. "In the first week, we're really trying to get the feel for what's best for the individual and what's best for our team."

The Oaks begin CCL play at Pirate Park this Saturday against the Orange County Riptide. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.