Pirates grind out 3-1 win over Sequoias in Final Four opener

FRESNO -- Playoff hero Art Vidro continued his Superman-esque ways as the Orange Coast College baseball team pulled out a 3-1 win over College of the Sequoias in the opening round of the California Community College Athletic Association State Baseball Championships, held at Fresno City College's John Euless Ballpark.

Vidro (8-3) was called upon to throw the opening game with injuries to both David Hill (ankle) and Jacob Hill (arm) and the freshman lefty overcame location troubles throughout the game to pull out his eighth victory of the year and his fourth straight playoff victory. He allowed one run on three hits over seven innings and despite falling behind to several batters, Vidro walked only four, while striking out four in his 112-pitch performance.

"It was a gritty effort," OCC head coach John Altobelli said of Vidro's performance. "At times, it was tough to sit through, but he made big pitches when he needed to and he was effectively wild, which worked to his advantage. We needed him to step up tonight with our Hill boys battling injuries and he came through for us."

The Pirates (34-9), winners of 13 straight overall and seven straight in the postseason, jumped ahead of the Giants (33-12) in the bottom of the first. L. Grant Davis reached on an error with one out. Davis then stole second, advanced to third when the COS catcher could not locate the ball and scored when the catcher overthrew his third baseman on the play.

COS starter Dylan Lee, who entered the game 13-0, was a question mark heading into tonight's matchup with a rib injury, but the lefty stepped up and tossed a complete game for the Giants, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, walking two and striking out two in the hard-luck loss.

The Giants tied the game in the top of the second when Chris Calistro led off with a walk, advanced to second on a one-out single to left by Blake Edmonson and scored on a two-out single to left-center by Nick Stoll (3-for-5).

Coast came back and regained the lead in the bottom of the third when Davis reached on a single to left, advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on an infield single by Cody Nulph and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Chris Iriart. Nulph, who went 1-for-2 with two walks, extended his hit streak to 28 games.

Vidro settled down a bit and retired 14 out of 17 batters he faced after giving up his lone run of the game.

In the top of the eighth, the Tigers nearly tied the game at 2, if not for a heads-up defensive play by Davis. With a runner on second and two outs, Wyatt Champlin hit a chopper up the middle, where Davis fielded the ball. Knowing he had no play at first base, Davis threw to third, where the COS baserunner tried to score from second on the play. Third baseman Jake Thumm, took the throw and fired the ball to catcher Daniel Delaney, who tagged out the Giants' baserunner to end the inning.

Coast then added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth when Nulph walked and scored on a line-drive double off of the left-field wall off the bat of Tommy Bell, putting the Pirates ahead, 3-1.

Reliever Spencer Moran picked up this fourth save of the season with two scoreless innings of work, but not without some more drama to finish things up. Sequoias used a pair of singles and a walk to load the bases with two outs, but Moran coaxed Ross Feeley into a harmless fly ball to Nulph to end the threat.

With the win, Coast will advance to the championship semifinals and will face San Joaquin Delta (34-9) on Sunday, beginning at 2 p.m. The Giants will take on Oxnard in the loser's bracket at 10 a.m.