Pirates rally twice for 7-6 win over Jaguars

COSTA MESA -- It was six innings of hibernation before the bats of the Orange Coast College baseball team would awaken as the Pirates overcame a 3-0 deficit for a 7-6 ninth-inning win over Southwestern on Saturday at John Altobelli Park.

After being stymied by SWC starting pitcher Jaden Wilcox, the Pirates (7-2) used a six-run seventh inning to turn the entire game around.

Coast sent 11 batters to the plate in the seventh and used RBI-singles by Sebastian Moore and Zach Dickason, a two-run RBI-double by Jayden Lyburtus, an RBI-triple by Kanan Treece and a run-scoring sacrifice fly by Ethan Brand to put the Pirates ahead of the Jaguars, 6-3.

Southwestern (3-4) managed to tie things up with a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth to make it 6-6. 

But in the ninth, Lyburtus singled with one out and advanced to third on a double to left off the bat of Evan Scalley. Luke Davis was intentionally walked before Brand hit a grounder to short that could not be turned into a double play, allowing Lyburtus to score the game-winning run.

Lyburtus went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI for the Pirates. Sebastian Moore went 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI, while Kyle Koppelmaa added two hits of his own.

Pirate starter Jack Ross kept the Pirates close, allowing just three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over the first 5 2/3 innings. Wilcox deserved a better fate for the Jags, holding the Pirates scoreless over the first five innings on just four hits with six strikeouts, but the Jaguar bullpen allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over the final four innings. 

OCC will play a pair of home games against Palomar College this week, beginning on Tuesday at 1 p.m. and again on Thursday at 1 p.m. Tuesday's game was moved to OCC due to wet conditions at Palomar's baseball field.