Butler Tosses Gem, Riverside Bats Awake Late in Win Over Irvine Valley

Offense was scares early and a pitcher's duel ensued at Evans Sports Complex as the No. 17 Riverside City College baseball team hosted the Irvine Valley College Lasers in the second game of a three-game series. Freshman right hander David Butler dealt to give the Tigers' offense enough time to wake up in the final two frames of the game leading to a 9-2 victory.

In his fourth start of the season, Butler toed the slab with a pure confidence and kept the Lasers off balance all day. After a shaky first inning that saw a hit batter and a walk, the freshman gunslinger settled in nicely by not allowing a run to cross the plate until the top of the fifth inning. He allowed just four hits and fanned four batters.

The offense was nonexistent throughout the majority of the game until they exploded for six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Freshman right fielder Matthew Bardowell got the inning started with a double to right center field that was just feet away from clearing the wall. He advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt from freshman designated hitter Bret Bowers. After freshman second baseman Beau Betten walked and promptly stole second base, freshman first baseman Daniel Garcia sent Bardowell and Betten home on a single through the right side.

Freshman left fielder Brian West, who connected for an RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, recorded his second RBI hit of the game via single to left field, scoring Garcia. Freshman shortstop Sebastian Flores continued the positive momentum with a two RBI double to dep center field, scoring freshman catcher Daniel Briones. Bardowell, who led off the inning, put an exclamation point on the six-run frame with an RBI single to left field, plating Flores and handing the Tigers a 7-1 lead.

Freshman pinch hitter Adrian Arechiga provided the Tigers with an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth by barreling a line drive triple that hugged the right field line, scoring Betten. West added his third RBI hit of the game with a single to shallow left field, leading to a 9-2 advantage.

West went 3-for4 with three RBI and a run scored, while Garcia wet 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Butler (4-0) remains unbeaten on the bump after 7.1 innings of work and striking out four. Sophomore reliever Ryan Dominguez tossed 1.1 innings and allowed just two hits.