The Pasadena City College baseball team led 4-0, 7-4, and 9-8 but were forced to extra innings on Thursday at state #27-ranked Golden West. In the 10th, the Lancers simply said enough was enough and put up a 7-spot to down the Rustlers, 15-8, and split their 2-game, non-conference series.
PCC (13-11) relied on leftfielder Jacob Escamilla, who had slugged a 2-run homer to open the game's scoring in the fourth then delivered a bases-clearing, three RBI double to left that keyed the 10th inning rally. RBI machine/shortstop Omar Cisneros lined a run-scoring single to center and centerfielder Xiovany Ochoa roped a 2-run triple down the right field line.
The Lancers wild inning included rightfielder Luke Bauer drawing two walks, a bunt single by third baseman Chris Torres, a walk drawn by first baseman Ricky Gonzales and a hit-by-pitch to second baseman Logan Parker. Catcher Joaquin Salcedo's sacrifice fly capped the frame.
Escamilla led a 16-hit PCC attack by batting 3-for-5 with five RBI, Ochoa was 3-for-4, two walks and three RBI, Gonzales 3-for-4 with two walks and two ribbies, Torres 2-for-4 with three runs, and the scolding hot Cisneros batting 2-for-5 with three RBI. Cisneros is on an epic RBI streak, driving in runs in seven of the last eight games, totaling 19 in that span.
Matt Garcia made a rare start, pitching well as he went four innings, five hits and two runs allowed and now walks. Sergio Robles has been clutch of late as he threw the final 3.1 innings with four hits alllowed, two runs as he picked up his second mound victory in nine days. Although he gave up a solo home run to Angels' great Tim Salmon's nephew--Nick Salmon--in the ninth, the sophomore has held the fort for the most part in late-inning appearances.
On Wednesday, Golden West roughed up six Lancers pitchers for 19 hits and seven walks in a 16-3 rout over the Lancers at Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Field. Salmon went 4-for-5 with a double and triple to pace the Rustlers' potent hitting resulted in nine extra-base hits. Second baseman Joey Ramos went 2-for-5 for the lone PCC player with multipe hits.
Since March 7, the Lancers are 5-1 and reached 15 or more runs in four of the victories and 79 in the six games, a 12.3 runs average.
"There's a resilience we've shown this season," said PCC head coach Pat McGee. "When we've reached some lows and looked not like our usual competitive selves of recent years, we've shown the ability to turn right around and produce. Our pitching was carrying us for a while, and now the hitters are making up for some of our recent pitching letdowns. Against Golden West, we're 4-3 since we started playing them in 2022."
Fourth in the South Coast Conference standings at 6-3, PCC returns to league action next week in a 3-game series v. fifth-place Long Beach City, beginning with a Tuesday, Mar. 24 home contest (2 p.m. first pitch).
