Big Innings Lead Baseball past Fullerton

The Riverside City College baseball team kicked off a three game Orange Empire Conference (OEC) series against the Fullerton College Hornets on Wednesday afternoon. Riverside worked around a shaking pitching performance and sloppy defense behind an offense that barreled 19 hits leading to a 14-7 victory.

Riverside scored nine of their 14 runs in the first four innings of the game. They jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning compliments of an RBI single from sophomore right fielder Matthew Bardowell. They followed with a five spot in the bottom of the second inning to distance themselves from the Hornets early on.

Sophomore first baseman Bryce Cermenelli and freshman second baseman Robert Phelps led the second inning off with base knocks to kick off the rally. Cermenelli came around to score two batters latter on a single to center field from freshman designated hitter Dominic Dominguez. A single to right center off the bat of sophomore third baseman Beau Betten allowed Phelps to touch home, while both Betten and Dominguez trotted home on a two-RBI double from freshman catcher Anthony Gibbons. Bardowell capped the monster five-run rally with a two-bagger down the left-field line, plating Gibbons, to grab a 6-0 advantage.

The Tigers continued to pour it on as they plated two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. After a Cermenelli double with one out in the inning, Dominguez stepped up and barreled a double down the left field line to score him. Betten notched his second-consecutive RBI knock to score Dominguez a batter later.

Fullerton continued to chip away and pulled to within three runs after scoring a combined six runs in the fourth and fifth innings to make things interesting. However, another five spot from the Tigers coming in the bottom of the seventh inning sealed the Hornet's fate.

Sophomore center fielder Casey Murray Jr. got things going by sending a double down the left-field line, scoring Gibbons and freshman pinch hitter Derek Hurtado. He later came around to score on a passed ball. Cermenelli capped the inning and the scoring for the Tigers by driving a hard groundball past a diving first baseman, sending sophomore pinch runner Nathan Aldaz and Bardowell home, eventually leading to a 14-7 win.

Sophomore Hayden Coon (6-2) toed the slab and did not have his best stuff. He went four innings and allowed four runs on five hits while striking out a mere two batters. However, he still earned the victory.

Freshman reliever Matt Hudson was the highlight of the bullpen after chucking three innings and fanning four batters leading to his third save of the year

Cermenelli led the offense by going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.

"It was a high scoring game so we have some things to fix," said Cermenelli. "But we outscored them and won the game."

Every time the freshman first baseman stepped up to the plate, he delivered. He is currently riding a four-game hitting streak and has gone 8-for-14 during that stretch.

"I feel good right now. I struggled early on in the season, so I am just trying to put quality swings on quality pitches."

The top of the Tigers order went 7-for-12 with six runs scored and seven RBI. Gibbons went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Murray Jr. clocked in a 2-for-4 day with two RBI and a run scored. Bardowell completed the trio with a 3-for-5 day with two RBI and two runs scored.

Betten went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double, while sophomore first baseman Jordan Ruiz entered in the fourth inning and went 2-for-3 as well.