at Riverside City College Tigers 5, Western Nevada College Wildcats 2 (non conference); Four Unearned Runs in Bottom of Eighth Turn it Around for Tigers

 

In the bottom of the fifth, Riverside City (6-1) strung together a one-out single by freshman 2B Changeng Varela (Chino / Chino HS) and a double down the left-field line by freshman LF Bryan Saucedo (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) to put runners on second and third. Sophomore 3B Brandon Van Horn (St. Francis HS) slapped a run-scoring groundout to second base to give RCC a 1-0 lead.

 

Western Nevada (10-4), located in Carson City, and a participant in the 2012 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) "JuCo" World Series, responded in the top of the sixth. Singles by freshman LF Matt Becker (Puyallup, WA / Puyallup HS) and sophomore 2B A.J. Hernandez (Las Vegas, NV / Cimarron Memorial HS) put Runners on first and second for the Wildcats. After an out, sophomore C Cole Ferguson (Salem, OR / North Salem [OR] HS) sent a groundball to third. Van Horn's throw to second for an attempted force out, sailed into right field for an error and allowed Becker to score, tying the game at 1-1. Becker and sophomore 3B Mike Umscheid (Beaverton, OR / Sunset HS) each had two hits to pace either team.

 

The Wildcats went ahead, 2-1, in the top of the eighth when Ferguson walked with one out and went to second on catcher's interference. Freshman 1B Spenser Dorsey (Olympia, WA / North Thurston [WA] HS) lofted a fly ball into the right-field corner for a RBI double, driving in Ferguson.

 

In the bottom of the eighth, Riverside parlayed three walks around a sacrifice bunt to load the bases with one out. Freshman SS Nicolas King (Palm Springs / Palm Springs HS) laid down a sacrifice bunt in front of the plate, but the flip throw from Wildcat RHP reliever Luke Eubank (Newburk Park HS) was missed by freshman C Colby Rice (West Salem, OR / West Salem HS) for an error on a would-be force play at the plate and two unearned runs scored to turn it around for the Tigers. Another run scored on a sacrifice bunt and the final run (also unearned) came home via a wild pitch.

 

RCC freshman LHP Joseph Sullivan (Upland HS), who pitched the eighth in relief of starting sophomore transfer LHP Kenny Mathews (Diamond Bar / Diamond Bar HS), was credited with the win (1-0). Sophomore RHP Joseph Molina (Redlands / Redlands East Valley HS), the last of four Tiger hurlers, gained his second save when he came on in the top of the ninth with a two-out, bases-loaded situation and induced a fly ball to centerfield for the final out. WNC sophomore starting RHP Brandon Show (Las Vegas, NV / Shadow Ridge HS) went the first 7-1/3 innings and allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits, but absorbed his first loss of the season (2-1).

 

Both teams continue non-conference action on Friday, Feb. 15, when these same two teams battle. First pitch is at 6 p.m.