Baseball Salvages LBCC Series Finale With 9th Inning Rally

The Pasadena City College baseball team avoided a South Coast Conference series sweep against Long Beach CC by scoring two runs in the ninth inning to defeat the host Vikings, 7-6, on Saturday.

The Lancers (18-10 overall) dropped to fifth place in the SCC at 8-6, but gained some traction after losing the first two contests v. LBCC, 8-3 on April 1 and then 16-11 at Brookside Park on April 3.

In the finale, Long Beach led 4-1, but PCC fought back with three runs in the fourth, highlighted by Devin Munoz's RBI single to center. Long Beach pulled back ahead, 6-5 in the sixth, on a Danny Rodriguez run-scoring triple.

Down to their final at bats in the top of the ninth, Isaac Ton delivered a double to center that brought in pinch runner Thomas Villanueva with a tying run. Munoz followed with an infield single that scored Devon Eskridge for the winning run. 

In the bottom of the frame, reliever Aiden Nunez got some help from catcher Evan Nahra, who gunned out Max Ghiglieri trying to steal second after leading off with a basehit. Nunez closed out a 2.1 innings scoreless performance to improve his record to 4-2. 

Eskridge was 2-for-3 with a double, Ton 2-for-4, and Munoz 2-for-5. The Lancers stole a season-high six bases, including three by Bryan Richman (1-for-5).

In Thursday's loss, the Lancers let an 11-4 lead after six innings slip away as the Vikings scored eight runs in the seventh, including a 3-run homer by Ghiglieri and a 2-run bomb by Eshua Desai. LBCC (18-13, third place in the South Coast at 12-6) ended up plating 12 unanswered runs v. four PCC relievers.

Starter Hugo Tafoya settled for a no-decision after six strong innings v. Long Beach's potent offense as he scattered eight hits, allowed five runs, walked five and struck out five. Tyler Garcia batted 4-for-5 with two doubles, two steals and two RBI, Eskridge was 2-for-3 with a double and three ribbies, Munoz 2-for-5, a double and three RBI, Adrian Roman 2-for-5, and Joaquin Salcedo went 2-for-6 and a double. 

In Tuesday's opener, Garcia gave PCC a 3-1 lead on a 2-run single in the top of fifth, but LBCC answered with two in the bottom of the frame and a 5-spot in the seventh to pick up the victory. Ryan Loptegui, an All-SCC transfer from LA Harbor College, hit a tie-breaking solo dinger, then Desai ripped a 3-run blast in the fateful seventh. Pasadena was limited to just seven hits, two by Garcia.

Richman, PCC's sophomore shortstop, extended his hitting streak to 19 games but Roman saw his 16-game hit string stopped in the finale. 

On Tuesday, April 8, the Lancers return to the diamond to begin a 3-game series v. SCC fourth-place El Camino (21-11, 11-7). First pitch is 2 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Field.