Six-run Seventh Helps Orange Coast Scuttle host Riverside City, 9-5, Tuesday

RIVERSIDE -- Wearing a wee bit o' green on their caps (and exploding for six runs in the seventh) may have been the difference for the visiting Orange Coast College (OCC) Pirates as they bounced back from a four-run deficit to defeat the host Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers baseball team, 9-5, in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) victory Tuesday (Mar. 17) afternoon at the Evans Sports Complex.

Orange Coast (14-9, 5-3 OEC) spotted the Tigers a 4-0 lead after two innings and had hit into three infield double plays through six innings before the Pirates exploded in the seventh for six runs (four earned) on three hits (two doubles) and four infield errors to take a 6-4 lead.

Riverside (15-6, 3-5 OEC) narrowed the deficit to 6-5 with a run in the eighth before OCC posted three tallies in the ninth for the final 9-5 margin.

In the seventh-inning uprising, OCC sophomore RF Tommy Bell (Orange Lutheran HS) socked a two-run double to left-center field to tie the game at 4-4. Bell promptly stole third base off Riverside RHP David Robles and scored to give OCC a 5-4 lead when sophomore C Jack Kruger (Oaks Christian HS) singled sharply to right field. Kruger later scored on an infield error for a 6-4 OCC lead.

Riverside scored once in the first and thrice in the second for a 4-0 lead. Sophomore DH Garrett Dean had a RBI single in the first (for the 1-0 lead) and a RBI single in the second to give RCC a 4-0 advantage. In between, 1B Israel Fuentes drilled a bases-loaded single to drive in two runs.

Sophomore RHP Angel Delgado kept getting out of danger until the fateful seventh. He hadn't allowed a run through six innings despite yielding seven hits. Of course, he had a little luck as his teammates turned three double plays behind him. But after hitting the first batter of the seventh and then allowing a double to freshman 2B NIck Grimes (Aliso Niguel HS), Delgado was lifted in favor of Robles.

Robles (0-2) pitched 1.0 inning and allowed two hits, four runs (two earned) and two walks as the Tigers committed four errors.

Fuentes (3 RBI), Dean (2 RBI) and sophomore LF David Schuknecht (Palm Desert / Palm Desert HS) each had three hits to pace the Tigers.

Grimes, the Pirates' ninth batter in the order, had three hits to pace the Pirates.

OCC sophomore RHP Scott Serigstad (El Dorado HS) pitched 5-2/3 innings of relief (three hits, one run/earned) to notch the win and improve to 3-2. He walked two and struck out ten Tiger batters.

Both teams continue OEC action on Thursday, Mar. 19, at 2 p.m. when RCC visits OCC to conclude the three-game season series.

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