The consistency of the Pasadena City College baseball team continues to stand out for this off-campus program. For the eighth straight full season going back to 2017, the Lancers reached 20 victories in routing Rio Hondo, 14-2, on Thursday at Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Field.
The Lancers won their fifth conseuctive contest, upped their overall record to 20-15 and stand just a half-game behind Cerritos for third place in the South Coast Conference with a 13-7 mark.
The architect of the winning formula is head coach Pat McGee, who took over a perennial cellar dwellar in 2015 and has since turned PCC into one of the most competitive teams day in and day out in Southern California. During his run, he has a record of 225-193 (.538), but after his first two rebuilding years the team took off and is 192-133 for an outstanding .591 percentage.
In SCC play, in his 10th full season (pandemic-shortened 2020 season resulted in 10 wins), McGee has compiled a 130-103 record overall in SCC play including two conference championships in 2017 and 2019.
Pasadena previously recorded just one 20-win season between 1973 and 2014.
"Every team has a different path to winning, but this year it's been really one of the rare seasons where we've relied so heavily on our freshmen," McGee said. "We've done great in the close games and that's why we made it to 20 this year. In our recent years, we've been blessed with some major talent, some next level NCAA Division I type players to lead us.
"This season, it's been about our resiliency and teamwork. Certainly, to be able to win 20 in a season this many times in a row is especially gratifying as a coach. The players improved throughout this year and that's a testament that the program is thriving. We have a culture here that they have bought into and we only win if everyone is on that same page."
PCC is 4-0 in 2-run games and 5-2 in 1-run games for a 9-2 mark in their closest contests.
The team didn't have to worry about late details in today's victory in scoring four in the first. leading 7-2 after five, and tacking two or more runs in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth frames. The entire starting nine hit safely, collecting 16 hits overall with batters No. 2 through 8 all driving in at least on RBI.
Rightfielder Luke Bauer batted 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI while leftfielder Isaac Ton was 3-for-4 with three runs driven in. Third baseman Chris Torres, centerfielder Xiovany Ochoa, and designated hitter Gabe Martinez each posted two hits while second baseman Logan Parker was 1-for-2 with three walks while plating four runs.
The beneficiaries of the offensive thunder were starter and winning pitcher Camren Lobo, who pitched six innings, allowing seven hits, two runs, and picking up his first collegiate win. Alex Myers got the save with three sterling, 4-hit shutout innings and three strikeouts.
First baseman Joey Ramos added a 2-run double and RBI producer and sophomore catcher Joaquin Salcedo was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Salcedo is on a ribbies tear with 15 in his last five games, and 12 in the past three alone.
On Tuesday, the Lancers did a houdini act to pull out a wild 8-7 win in 14 innings on the road v. the Roadrunners. PCC led 7-5 in the ninth but RHC's Ruben Magana roped a 2-run triple to tie it. The Lancers only went to extra innings thanks to using strategy by McGee, who intentionally walked two batters as reliever Sergio Robles induced a 5-3 double play to keep it tied.
In the 14th, PCC won it on Ochoa's line single to right, knocking in Parker. Lefty Alex Valencia was a stopper in relief as he tossed five innings of 1-hit, shutout ball, striking out four for his fourth victory.
Both Ramos and Maritinex were 4-for-6 while Salcedo had a double and three RBI.
Pasadena will try to sweep Rio Hondo on Saturday, April 18 in a 12 noon first pitch at the Whittier campus.
