Martinez's gem lifts Pirates past Mounties
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mt. San Antonio | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | X | 4 | 6 | 0 |
COSTA MESA -- Chazz Martinez pitched a complete-game gem to lift the Orange Coast College baseball team to a 4-1 win over visiting Mt. San Antonio College on Thursday at Wendell Pickens Field.
After Mt. SAC bludgeoned the Pirates with 16 runs on 21 hits two days earlier, Martinez (2-0) came in and silenced the Mounties, allowing one run on three hits with five walks and six strikeouts in a 113-pitch effort. It was the first complete-game performance for the Pirates since Kyle Robeniol went the distance against El Camino College back on May 19, 2017.
Even when the Mounties did managed to find solid contact off of Martinez, the OCC defense came up with several big plays. Right fielder Cary Arbolida made a pair of diving catches and threw a runner out at third base, while center fielder Andrew Cromwell and left fielder Jared Schatz ran down several potential extra-base hits with fantastic catches throughout the game.
Trailing 1-0, Jordan Ku reached first base with a hit-by-pitch and advanced to second on an error by the Mounties. Two batters later Cromwell came through with a single to left to score Ku, tying the game at 1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Coast loaded the bases with walks before pinch-hitter Garrett Bevacqua came up with a two-out, two-run single to left-center to put the Pirates ahead, 3-1.
David Morgan snapped out of a mini-slump in the bottom of the seventh when he launched a solo home run to left -- his fifth of the season -- to put OCC up, 5-1.
After allowing his lone run in the top of the second inning, Martinez retired 11 straight through the middle innings and allowed no hits the rest of the way.
The Pirates and Mounties will wrap up their four-game series on Friday at Mt. SAC, beginning at 2 p.m. OCC's next home game will be on Friday, May 14 against Saddleback, beginning at 12 p.m.
