No. 3 Baseball Reaches CCCAA Super Regionals for Second-Straight Season

For the second-consecutive season, the Riverside City College baseball team has reached the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Super Regional playoffs. They achieved the feat by defeating the No. 14 seeded Cuesta College Cougars in a best-of-three series sweep this past weekend. They are set to host the No. 8 seeded Mt. San Antonio College Mounties in a best of three series beginning on Thursday, May 9 at home at 2 p.m.

Game two is set for the following Friday, May 10 at 2 p.m. If necessary, the third and final game is scheduled for Saturday, May 11 at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available for all three games at www.rccathletics.com.  

This will be a ticketed event as mandated by the CCCAA. There will be a cash only charge of $12 for general admission and an $8 admission fee for students, faculty, staff, veterans, 60 and over and 16 and under fans. Student, faculty and staff must present a valid ID. There will be a $5 parking fee regulated by the Riverside City College District police.

The Tigers improved their overall record to 32-10 after their opening series sweep. The win total is Riverside's largest wins tally since 2008 when they went 34-20. They will match the win's total if they advance to the section round.

Riverside faced the Mounties in the second series of the season and completed the two-game series sweep. Sophomore Lawrence Castaneda was handed the pearl in game one and tossed seven innings and struck out six. Freshman third baseman Matthew Ivancich drove in two RBI, while sophomore first baseman Andrew Talkington went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Game two was all Riverside as they plated eight runs to Mt. San Antonio's one. The Tigers banged out 11 hits highlighted by a 2-for-4 day from sophomore right fielder Ulises Caballero. He launched a two-run homerun and scored twice.

Riverside rode their two horses on the mound in sophomore starting pitching duo Garrett Irvin and Alexander Salazar. Each of the two tossed complete-game shutouts while they each allowed just five hits. Salazar fanned nine batters, while Irvin punched out a pair behind a flawless defense.

Runs were at a premium for Riverside as Cuesta carted the third-lowest ERA in the state. Despite the formidable Cougar arms, the Tigers plated five runs in the first game and three runs in the second game. Four separate Tigers recorded RBI in game one highlighted by an RBI double from sophomore shortstop Matthew Happ. He finished the game on a 2-for-4 note. Sophomore catcher Angel Mendoza was responsible for the dagger in game two as he sent a towering, two run jack over the left-center wall in the top of the sixth inning. Freshman designated hitter Steve Ramirez recorded a two-out RBI double as well.