Pirates take advantage of miscues for 4-2 win over Dons

COSTA MESA -- It wasn't the prettiest of wins for the Orange Coast College baseball team, but the hosts  will happily take it as a pair of eighth-inning errors by visiting Santa Ana proved costly in a 4-2 Pirate win on Tuesday at Wendell Pickens Field. 

Coast (14-2 overall, 1-0 in Orange Empire Conference) stranded 11 baserunners all afternoon and after a missed opportunity in the seventh to at least even the score, OCC trailed 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.

After flexing their muscles all season long, the Pirates played their more traditional "small ball" in the eighth and it paid off. Ramiro Velasco drew a leadoff walk and Walker Keller tried to sacrifice bunt, but instead, reached on a bunt single to make it first and second with nobody out.

Nolan Powers followed with another bunt which SAC third baseman Justin Mazzara fielded and threw wildly to first, which allowed pinch-runner Jacob White to score from second and drew the Pirates even with the Dons (14-3, 0-1).

Powers stole second to make it second and third with nobody out, but relief pitcher Gabe Armstrong worked an infield fly ball for the first out. With the Dons' infield playing in, the next batter, J.T. Navarro hit a routine ground ball to shortstop Derek Reilly, but the SAC sophomore missed the ball, which allowed two more runs to score and gave the Pirates the lead for good.

Both starting pitchers deserved a better fate on Tuesday as OCC lefty Kyle Robeniol allowed just two runs on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts over six innings. The two runs came on three straight hits by the Dons in the top half of the fourth inning. Reilly doubled to left-center, Julio Rivera followed with a single to center and Nathan Flores lined a two-run triple down the right-field line, all with nobody out. Robeniol regrouped and stranded Flores in what turned out to be a crucial run-saving effort by the Pirate hurler.

Coast made it 2-1 in the fifth when Travis Moniot doubled with two outs, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI-single by John Balliet.

Meanwhile, SAC starter Nigel Ward took care of his own business and pitched six-plus innings and allowed one run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He left after allowing a leadoff single to Navarro in the bottom of the seventh and reliever Austin Weddle (2-1) gave up a single to Moniot to make it first and third with nobody out with the heart of the Pirate lineup coming to the plate.

But Weddle settled down and struck out the next three batters he faced to end the threat, keeping Santa Ana ahead, 2-1, before OCC's rally in the eighth.

Moniot and Keller each had two hits and a run scored for the Pirates, who will travel to Santa Ana College on Thursday to face the Dons in Game 2 of this three-game series, beginning at 2 p.m. Both teams will return to OCC for the series finale on Saturday at 12 p.m.

GAME NOTE -- The Pirates will be selling tickets for their upcoming "Orange Coast College Night" at Anaheim Stadium, which takes place on Saturday, April 22 as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim host the Toronto Blue Jays at 6:05 p.m. Tickets are $25 each and include a field-level seat down the right-field line, a customized OCC Angels hat and an opportunity to win two passes on the field for batting practice prior to the game. Members of OCC will be on hand for pregame, first-pitch ceremonies and a fireworks show will take place after the Angels/Blue Jays game. Tickets are also available at the Bursar's Office on campus and online for $27 at www.angels.com/occ.