Grande Socks In Go-ahead Run as Riverside Edges Orange Coast, 3-2, Tuesday

RIVERSIDE – Zach Grande smacked a two-out RBI single to right field in seventh inning, chasing pinch hitter Casey Sheehan home with the go-ahead score as the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers men's baseball team edged the Orange Coast College (OCC) Pirates, 3-2, in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) game Tuesday afternoon (Apr. 19) at Evans Sports Complex.

With two outs and no one on base, pinch hitter Casey Sheehan (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '14) drew a walk before sophomore RF Garrison Cole (Palm Desert / Xavier Prep. HS '13) singled to center field as Sheehan stopped at second base. On a 1-1 pitch, Grande -- who is pictured -- a freshman catcher from San Bernardino / Cajon HS '15, sent a line drive through the right side of the infield to put the Tigers (18-13 overall, 6-10 OEC) ahead for good.

Orange Coast (15-16 overall, 6-10 OEC) jumped ahead, 2-0, in the top of the first inning, but that would be all which RCC starting sophomore RHP Angel Delgado (Beaumont / Beaumont HS'13) would allow. Delgado went the first 7.0 innings and allowed the two runs (both earned) on six hits and three with four strikeouts and improved his record to 6-2.

Riverside City answered in the bottom of the first when sophomore CF Sean Smith (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS '13 / Chico State) tripled to lead off the first and scored on a RBI single by sophomore LF Michael Darr (Corona / Santiago HS '14). In the third, Darr singled and scored from third when sophomore SS Brody Weiss (Denver, CO / Regis Jesuit HS '13), who had drawn a walk, then drew an errant pickoff throw from OCC starting RHP Ryan Randel as the scored was tied, 2-2.

OCC reliever Casey Costello, who came on in the fifth inning, allowed the go-ahead run (earned) on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 4.0 innings, received the loss (2-3).

Both teams return to action on Thursday, Apr. 21, when Riverside City visits Orange Coast in the second game of this three-game OEC series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

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