Pirates pull off improbable 9-7 win over Cuesta

COSTA MESA -- The one good thing about giving up six runs in the first inning ... you've got a full game to try and claw back. That is exactly what the Orange Coast College baseball team did on Friday as the Pirates came from behind to top Cuesta, 9-7, at John Altobelli Park.

OCC (4-2) used single runs in the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings to pull to within a pair at 7-5 before finishing the job on the stunned Cougars (1-4) in the bottom of the eighth.

In that fateful final frame for the Pirate hitters, it started harmless enough as the first to batters were retired.

Cameron Mahaffy worked a two-out walk and that was followed up by a single to right off the bat of Cary Arbolida. From there, Garrett Bevacqua came through with a clutch, two-run triple down the left-field line, just past Cuesta's left fielder, Aiden Weinstein, to tie the game up at 7. 

Isaiah Morales walked, then stole second and Jake Lappin walked to load the bases, bringing up Zach Crandall. Much like the state championship-winning grounder in 2019, Crandall, placed a perfect grounder to the right of Cuesta shortstop Ryan Fenn, who tried to throw the batter out. But, Crandall not only beat out the throw, Morales was sent all the way home from second base to plate two runs on the play, putting Coast up, 9-7.

After a rough start to the game, the OCC pitchers, led by the trio of Troon Eakin, Jonathan Robinson and Matt Maloney, kept Coast in the ballgame. Eakin was stellar for Coast, allowing just one run on two hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. Robinson mowed down the Cougar batters over the next two frames, striking out five and allowing just one hit to pick up the victory. Maloney earned his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.

Mahaffy went 2-for-3, reached base four times and scored three times, while Arbolida added two hits and a run.

It was the second comeback win of the this three-game series against the Cougars for the Pirates, who rallied from a 5-1 deficit to to win, 11-6, on Thursday afternoon. Coast racked up seven runs in the fifth inning of that game and never looked back. 

Mahaffy had another big day, coming off the bench to go 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Crandall added three hits, two runs and two RBI, while Arbolida, Konnor Kincade and Alex Talamante each added two hits and a run scored. The relief duo of Sean Bolin and Chase Rousselo threw the final five innings and allowed just one unearned run over that span on two hits with five strikeouts.

The series finale will take place on Saturday at John Altobelli Park, beginning at 12 p.m.