Wagaman's walk-off HR wins it for the Pirates!

COSTA MESA -- Eric Wagaman made the most of his time at the plate, slugging a pinch-hit, game-winning, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Orange Coast College baseball team to an 8-7 win over visiting Palomar on Thursday at Wendell Pickens Field.

After losing a 6-1 lead to the Comets (5-5), the Pirates (4-6) tied the game in the bottom of the eighth and won it on Wagaman's blast in the ninth.

In a game that had just about everything anyone could ask for, both good and bad, the Pirates jumped out to a 6-1 lead after four innings. In the bottom of the second, Robert Teel singled to lead off the frame and went to second on a walk by Jake Gozzo. After a sacrifice bunt moved up both runners, Nick Grimes drove in Teel with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1. 

A single by Chris Prescott, a walk by James McLellan and a Palomar error loaded the bases and Teel came through with a two-run single to left, scoring McLellan and Prescott. Gozzo walked to again load the bases, but a back-pick at second base by Palomar catcher Mike Benson, eliminated a Coast baserunner. A walk by Scott re-loaded the bases and Grimes came through with a two-out, two-run single up the middle to make it 5-1.

Prescott, who finished with three hits and two runs scored, lined his second double of the game into left-center and would eventually score on an RBI-single by Andrew Garcia to make it 6-1 and the Pirates were on their way to what looked like a care-free win.

But the Comets, who joined the Pirates from Southern California in last year's State Final Four (won by OCC), battled back with two runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and three more in the eighth to take a 7-6 lead.

In that top of the eighth, a pair of errors and a suicide squeeze bunt by Mitchell Gallagher highlighted the Comets' comeback completion as they took a one-run lead into the bottom of the eighth.

With runners on first and third with one out, Prescott, hit a hard-hit grounder to Palomar pitcher Mitchell Hayes (1-1), but instead of turning an inning-ending double play, he chose to retire the runner at third, keeping the Comets ahead, but giving the Pirates one extra at-bat. 

That proved costly when Hayes attempted a back-pick at first base and threw the ball down the right-field line, allowing the OCC runner from second base to come all the way around to score and tie the game at 7.

Reliever Ryan Randel (1-0), who threw the final 1 2/3 innings, kept the Comets off the scoreboard in the ninth, setting up Wagaman's dramatics.

Teel finished the game with two hits, a run and two RBI, while Grimes went 1-for-2 with three RBI for the Pirates.

Dylan Breault went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Comets, while Benson, Niko Holm and Chase Grant each had two hits, one run and one RBI. Eric Charles also came up big for the Comets in the No. 9 slot, going 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.

OCC starter Jack Pabich had a no decision, but threw well, allowing three earned runs on seven hits over six innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.

The Pirates will play at College of the Desert in a Saturday doubleheader, beginning at 12 p.m. OCC's next home game will be on Thursday against the College of the Canyons, beginning at 2 p.m.