Pirates jump ahead early, beat Gauchos 7-4
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 2 |
|
Saddleback | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
MISSION VIEJO -- The Orange Coast College baseball team returned to the "win" column on Saturday with a 7-4 Orange Empire Conference win at Saddleback College.
Two days after a heartbreaking, 6-5, 10-inning loss at Riverside College, the Pirates (15-4, 3-2 in OEC) returned to the road and jumped out early on the Gauchos (10-7, 2-3).
Coast led 5-0 after four innings and maintained that five-run lead throughout the game before the Gauchos plated a pair in the bottom of the ninth.
Cody Nulph and Chris Iriart each went 3-for-5, while Cody Bruder, L. Grant Davis and Tommy Bell each had two hits to spark the Pirates' 15-hit attack. Bell had two doubles, one run and two RBI, while Nulph scored a pair of runs. Ryan Perez also came through with a two-run triple for the Pirates.
That offense was more than enough for OCC's Jacob Hill, who improved to 5-0 for the year after allowing one unearned run on two hits with six strikeouts over six innings of work. Brian Bass came in and threw 1 1/3 innings before giving way to Spencer Moran, who closed things out to record his second save of the season.
Brett Barker had two hits and two RBI for the Gauchos. Starter Tyler Brashears (1-2) took the loss after allowing four runs (all earned) on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings of work.
With rain affecting the playing field at Wendell Pickens Field last week, the Pirates played four road games in a row at Santa Ana, Irvine Valley, Riverside and Saddleback and finished up with a 3-1 record over that span.
Coast will return to action on Tuesday at home against Fullerton, beginning at 2 p.m.
