Pirates continue to roll with DH sweep over Rustlers

COSTA MESA -- The offense picked up the slack, and then some, on Friday as the Orange Coast College baseball team defeated visiting Golden West in a doubleheader sweep, topping the Rustlers, 9-8 in the opener and 16-5 in the nightcap.

In the opening game at Wendell Pickens Field, Coast jumped out to an 8-0 lead, only to watch the Rustlers battle back with a four runs in the fifth inning and four more in the sixth to tie the game at 8. But the Pirates picked up a clutch hit off the bat of Tatsuhori Negishi to push across the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning as the game ended due to the 2-hour, 15-minute time limit.

Garret Barto had three hits, a run and four RBI for Coast in the opener, while Chase Hanson added a hit, two runs and two RBI. Will Ireland came through with a solid 3-for-3 performance in the No. 9 slot of the batting order and scored a run as well. Sean Bolin pitched three innings of no-hit ball through the first three innings with three strikeouts before the Pirate bullpen struggled a bit.

In Game 2, it actually WAS a pitcher's duel for the first six innings as OCC's Kelly Austin and GWC's Noah Owen were keeping the bats quiet throughout the early portion of the contest. Austin allowed just one earned run over six innings with 11 strikeouts, while Owen struck out six and allowed just four runs on five hits over six innings as the Pirates led 4-2 with just three innings left.

The Rustlers (1-11 overall, 0-9 in Orange Empire Conference), plated a run in the top of the seventh to make it 4-3 before the GWC bullpen imploded in the bottom of the frame. With a runner on third and just one out, Negishi socked a two-run home run to right to put OCC up, 6-3 and from there, the flood gates opened. Negishi's blast started a streak of 12 straight OCC batters to reach base and before the third out was finally recorded in the seventh, the Pirates scored 12 times and led, 16-3. In fact, Negishi went 2-for-2 with a home run, single, two runs scored and four RBI in the seventh inning alone!

Cary Arbolida went 2-for-4 with two runs and three RBI for the Pirates. Jared Shatz added three hits and three runs scored, while David Morgan had a double, a home run, two runs and two RBI. Ryan O'Halloran added a pair of doubles to go along with two runs and one RBI.

It's been an impressive stretch for the Pirate offense, who enter this week's nonconference series with Mt. San Antonio with a .333 team batting average, including 53 extra-base hits, 15 home runs and 136 total hits over 12 games. 

Arbolida has been setting the pace with a blistering .600 batting average (21-for-35) with four HR, 12 runs scored and 15 RBI, while Nolan Funke (.458, 11 hits, three triples, 12 RBI) and Morgan (.371, 13 hits, 14 runs, 11 RBI) have been setting the pace throughout the season. Coming on strong as of late has been freshman Tyler Weaver, who is batting .407 with 11 hits, 11 runs and has a team-best four stolen bases. 

Austin has been the anchor of the Pirate starters on the mound with a 3-0 record and a 1.29 ERA, allowing just three earned runs over 21 innings with 32 strikeouts. Reliever Alex Shaded has been a steady arm in an inconsistent bullpen, posting a 2-0 record with a save and a 2.57 ERA, allowing just four earned runs over 14 innings with 17 strikeouts. 

The Pirates and Mounties will begin their four-game nonconference series on Tuesday at OCC, beginning at 2 p.m. (No fans allowed).