Tigers Top County Rival Mt. San Jacinto, 13-7, Saturday

RIVERSIDE – The Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's baseball team scored early and often en route to a 13-7 non-conference home victory over the visiting Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC) Eagles Saturday evening (Feb. 27) at the Evans Sports Complex.

Riverside (10-3 overall) scored four times in the first and second innings and added three runs in the third to build leads of 4-0, 4-1, 8-1, 8-2, and 11-2. RCC led, 13-2, before MSJC scored four in the top of the seventh and added one in the eighth to get cosmetically closer.

In the bottom of the first inning, freshman 1B Ryan Mota (Fontana / Kaiser HS '14) -- who is pictured -- hit the first (of his two doubles), driving in sophomore LF Garrison Cole (Palm Desert / Xavier Prep. '13), who had been hit by a pitch, and sophomore RF Casey Sheehan (Redlands / Redlands east Valley HS '14 / UCR), who had singled, to give RCC a quick 2-0 lead.

A RBI double by sophomore SS Brody Weiss (Denver, CO / Regis Jesuit HS '13 / UCSB) drove in Mota and the Tigers led, 3-0.

After MSJC answered in the second inning with a RBI double by sophomore RF Nick Gonzales (Riverside) to make the score, 4-1, Sheehan highlighted another four-run frame with a two-run double and RCC led, 8-1, after two. In the third, sophomore DH Michael Darr (Corona / Santiago HS '14), socked a two-run triple and scored on a relay miscue and RCC led, 11-2, after three.  

Entering the top of the seventh inning, MSJC reserve SS Cesar Tamayo (Riverside) hit a two-run single to highlight a four-run outburst.

In a pre-game notification where sophomore starting RHP Angel Delgado (Beaumont / Beaumont HS '13) was only going to pitch three innings, Delgado allowed two runs (earned) on two hits with two walks, but struck out six and was credited with the win to improve to 4-1. In five games (all starts), Delgado has compiled a 2.78 earned run average through 32.1 innings. Freshman RHP Sabino Ramirez (Cathedral City / Cathedral City HS '14) pitched the next three innings, allowing one walk while striking out three.      

Freshman starting RHP Anthony Villa (Menifee) lasted only 1.1 innings and allowed seven runs (all earned) on six hits and one walk with one strikeout as his record fell to 0-2. Freshman 2B Steven Ybarra (Redlands) went two for four with two runs and one RBI to pace MSJC (4-8 overall).  

Riverside will be idle until next Saturday, Mar. 5, when it opens Orange Empire Conference (OEC) action with a road game at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. Game time is 12 p.m.

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