Box Score | Season Stats

April 5, 2008

Baseball:

Long Beach comeback falls short, drops key SCC game 7-6 to Cerritos

The Long Beach City College baseball team suffered a tough 7-6 South Coast Conference loss to visiting Cerritos College on Saturday at Joe Hicks Memorial Field.

The loss dropped Long Beach to 22-11 overall and 9-5 in the SCC, but more importantly, the Vikings fell two games behind Cerritos (20-13, 11-3 SCC) for first place in the conference standings.

Despite outhitting Cerritos by a 13-10 margin, Long Beach stranded a season-high 14 runners on base and wasn’t unable to come through with the big hit when it needed it most.

Cerritos jumped to a big lead early, rallying for five runs with two outs in the top of the third inning off starter Scott Watson.

Jerry Pena and George Sanchez had RBI singles before Trevor Blood launched a three-run homerun to give the Falcons a 5-0 advantage.

Cerritos came right back with two more runs in the fourth. Brandon Pesante and Jared Olsen both singled their way on base and came into score on a two-run single by Anthony Topete.

Long Beach finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth.

Second baseman Sean Beckley got with a one-out single and eventually came in to score on a RBI single by center fielder Michael Schultz.

LBCC had a chance to get back in the game in the sixth, but only came away with one run.

Third baseman Trevor Costin and left fielder Derek Wurtz both singled, and designated hitter Randy Serrato walked to load the bases off Cerritos starter Jay Heirigs.

Catcher Derek Junghanel nearly tied up the ball game with one swing of the bat. He launched a 1-0 pitch from Heirigs just foul down the left-field line. That was Heirigs final pitch of the ball game as Steve Blanchette came in and got Junghanel to foul out to third base.

LBCC managed one run, as right fielder Brian Loard was hit by a pitch to force in a run. But Blanchette got out of the jam, striking out Beckley and getting pinch hitter Ricardo Rodriguez to ground out and end the threat.

The Vikings finally broke through with three runs in the seventh.

Schultz was hit by a Blanchette pitch to lead off the inning, first baseman Alex Van Horn walked and Costin lined a single up the middle to load the bases.

John Garcia then came in to relive Blanchette and quickly got Beckley to strike out for the first out. Serrato came up and chased in a run with a fielder’s choice groundout. That was followed by back-to-back RBI singles Junghanel and Loard.

After a walk to Beckley, LBCC had the bases loaded once again with two outs. But Garcia got shortstop Armando Arzate to ground out to end the rally as LBCC cut Cerritos lead to 7-5.

The Vikings put up one last fight in the bottom of the ninth.

Junghanel led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch by Miguel Flores. Loard then singled to put runners on first and third with no outs. Flores settled down and got Beckley and pinch hitter Brett Mahoney to strike out.

But with two outs, Schultz’ chopped a grounder to Cerritos shortstop Jerry Pena. His throw was in the dirt at first, allowing Junghanel to score and put the tying run at second.

The comeback would fall short. Van Horn’s line drive up the middle was knocked down by Flores and he threw on to first for the final out.

Watson (4-2) earned the loss for Long Beach. He allowed seven runs and eight hits over four innings.

Sophomore Adam McNaught pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless one-hit ball and sophomore Keith Chipman also kept the Vikings in the game with 1 2/3 of scoreless relief.

Loard was 3 for 4 with two RBI and a double to lead the Vikings at the plate.

Heirigs (3-0) earned the win, allowing two runs and six hits in five innings. Flores struck out four in two innings and allowed one run and three hits in earning the save. Blood was 2 for 3 with three RBI to lead the Falcons offense.

Long Beach returns to action on Tuesday (Apr. 8) when it travels to Compton College for a 2:30 p.m. SCC game.