Pirates, Comets fit to be tied in 7-7 stalemate

COSTA MESA -- In a game that featured 30 mph winds in both directions, sunshine, rain, a lightning delay and a 20-degree drop in temperatures, there was only one thing missing from Thursday's baseball game between Orange Coast and Palomar ... a winner.

After three hours and 40 minutes ... the Pirates and Comets had to settle for a hard-fought 7-7 tie as darkness consumed Wendell Pickens Field.

It is the first stalemate for the Pirates (11-1-1) since the seventh game of the 2012 season against Southwestern College, a span of 314 games. 

After an early 2-0 deficit, the Pirates stormed back and scored the next six runs over the first three innings -- highlighted by a mammouth three-run home run off the bat of Tyler Lasch -- putting OCC up, 6-2.

The the game was halted for approximately 35 minutes due to lightning being spotted in the area. Once play resumed, Mother Nature switched things up and the strong winds blowing out, suddenly blew in, dropping the temps and bringing a quick flash of rain.

Along with all of that, the Comets (8-3-1) took advantage of some control issues by the Pirate pitchers and tied the game at 6. Three walks were followed by a two-run single by Trevor Omahen, a run-scoring wild pitch and an RBI single by Adrian Collazo.

Coast regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Murphy Stehly singled to center, advanced to second on a hit-by-pitch by Davis Delorefice, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ryan O'Halloran and scored on a safety squeeze by Adam Serrano.

But the Comets scored the game-tying run in the top of the eighth when Justin Folz tripled into the left-center field gap and scored on an RBI-single by Jaiston Cabatbat.

In the bottom of the eighth, a walk Skylar Limonchi and a double to right center by Tommy Williams put runners on second and third with one out, but the Comet bullpen used a walk and a pickoff to end the threat.

From there, the umpires met with the coaches and it was decided that the game would be stopped.

Coast will return to action on Saturday at College of the Canyons, beginning at 12 p.m. OCC's next home game will take place on Thursday, March 7 against Cypress, beginning at 2 p.m.