Tigers Win, 3-2; Get Go-ahead run in Seventh on Cypress Catcher Overthrow

Tigers Win, 3-2; Get Go-ahead run in Seventh on Cypress Catcher Overthrow

RIVERSIDE – Pinch hitter Chase Cuckovich walked and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's baseball team edged the Cypress College Chargers, 3-2, Saturday afternoon in a Orange Empire Conference (OEC) at the Evans Sports Complex.
 
Cuckovich, a sophomore outfielder from Victoria, B.C., Canada / Lambrick Park H.S., walked and was safe at second base on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore 2B Brandon Van Horn (La Canada Flintridge / St. Francis HS). Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt. With freshman C Michael Deceglie (Rancho Cucamonga / Los Osos HS) at bat, Cuckovich scored on an errant back pick throw to third base by sophomore Cypress C Tyler Schultz (Lakewood HS).
 
Riverside (18-10 overall, 7-6 OEC) opened the scoring with two runs in the fourth. ,
 
Sophomore 1B Daniel Arellano (Moreno Valley / Canyon Springs HS) drew a walk to open the inning. Freshman DH David Schuknecht (Palm Desert / Palm Desert HS / U. of Arizona) then rolled a ground ball which went under the glove of Cypress sophomore 2B Robert Chavarria (Marina HS) for a two-base error, and sent Arellano to third base. After an infield out held both runners, freshman CF K.C. Huth (La Verne / Bonita HS) doubled to center field, plating both runners for a 2-0 lead.
 
Cypress (18-10, 6-7 OEC) scored single runs in the fifth and seventh frames to forge a short-lived 2-2 tie.
 
In the fifth, freshman RF Brandon Morones (Esperanza HS) singled off the glove of a diving SS Nick King, plating sophomore DH Blake Davey (Newport Harbor HS), who doubled to open the inning. In the seventh, sophomore LF Sam Tolleson (Travis, TX) reached base when he was hit by a pitch. He went to second on a single, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on an infield error. Morones had two hits in three at-bats to lead the Chargers.  
 
Starting sophomore transfer RHP Edgar Gomez (Indio / Indio HS / Long Beach State) went the first seven innings and allowed the two runs (both earned) on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. He threw 75 pitches (43 strikes) to improve to 6-1. Sophomore RHP Joseph Molina (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS) came on in the ninth with a runner at first and no outs and induced a groundball double-play and a game-ending groundout for his fourth save of the season. Sophomore starting RHP Bryson Kauhaahaa (Valencia HS) deserved a better fate. He went the first six innings for the Chargers and allowed the three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts as his record dropped to 3-2.
 
Both teams return to OEC action on Tuesday, April 9, at 2 p.m. Cypress will visit the Irvine Valley College Lasers, while Riverside hosts the Golden West College Rustlers.