Twenty Hits As Baseball's Offense Motoring

The Pasadena City College baseball team followed a 22-run outburst in a Jan. 23 win v. Citrus by pounding out 20 hits, including home runs by 2025 newcomers in Brandon Gill and Joaquin Salcedo, in a 13-4 victory over host Los Angeles Mission College on Thursday.

All nine Lancers starters hit safely, led by Gill, a designated hitter-first baseman, who batted 4-for-6, slugged a 2-run bomb in the second inning and finished with five RBI. Salcedo, a catcher, belted a 2-run dinger in the fifth, went 3-for-6 and added a double and sacrifice fly.

Sophomore first baseman Adrian Roman hit 3-for-6 with two doubles and three ribbies, frosh rightfielder Devon Eskridge roped two doubles (3-for-5) and letterman third baseman Devin Munoz also was 3-for-5. 

Returning outfielder Thomas Villanueva was 1-for-3 with a double, walk and sacrifice fly while frosh leftfielder Troy Estrada (Glendora High) hit 1-for-3 with a walk in his college debut. 

The beneficiary of the offensive explosion was second-year starter Connor Campbell, who improved to 1-1 by going 5.1 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, one walk and striking out six. In relief, Matt Garcia pitched two no-hit, shutout innings and Aiden Nunez a scoreless ninth.

The game was the opener of the Rawlings/SoCal Challenge Tournament. The tourney continues today (Friday, Jan. 31) with a 11 a.m. contest v. NorCal #5-ranked San Joaquin Delta at Whittier College. The Lancers will play an opponent to be determined on Saturday, Feb. 1 at Citrus College (12 noon first pitch). 

Coach Pat McGee's Lancers are currently playing away from the City of Pasadena as they don't have current access to their regular home diamond at Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Field. The field was being used in relief efforts in the aftermath of the Eaton fire.