Baseball team gets back in the win column
Apr 12, 2008
After two straight one-run losses, the Irvine Valley baseball team got back in the win column Saturday afternoon, defeating Saddleback, 11-2, at home in an Orange Empire Conference game.
The Lasers won thanks to a dominating effort by sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Danny Heben.
Heben pitched his first complete game of the season in earning the victory and improving his record to 8-1 overall.
Heben threw 113 pitches and gave up just four hits and two runs (one earned). He struck out eight, walked two and hit two batters.
"It was one of the best performances we've had on the mound here," IVC Coach Kent Madole said after the game as he gave the game ball to Heben. "He was locked in right from the start."
Irvine Valley scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take control. Sophomore outfielders Matt Ivanoff and Brian Ferrante each hit RBI singles off Saddleback starting pitcher James Condon.
And then sophomore shortstop Abel Medina drove in another run with a sacrifice bunt.
Irvine Valley made it a 4-0 game in the bottom of the sixth on a squeeze bunt by freshman third baseman Vince Hungerford. The bunt scored freshman second baseman Sean Williams, who tripled earlier in the inning.
IVC then broke the game open with a seven-run seventh inning to take a 11-0 lead.
Williams had a two-run double and freshman designated hitter Paul Sandoval and Hungerford each knocked in a run with a single in the inning.
Heben did the rest.
Saddleback finally got to Heben in the eighth, scoring a run on two hits and then adding a single run in the ninth, which was unearned.
But Heben was definitely in control. He only threw more than 15 pitches in one inning and that was in the ninth after IVC committed an error.
Ivanoff was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and one RBI in the game for the Lasers. Williams went 2 for 4 a double, triple, two runs scored and two RBI. And Hungerford was 2 for 3 with a run scored and two RBI.
IVC improved its record to 24-12 overall and 8-5 in the Orange Empire Conference. Irvine Valley remained in third place in the conference standings behind Santa Ana and Orange Coast. The Lasers are two games behind Orange Coast for second place.
"We have now won season series from Saddleback, Cypress and Golden West," Madole said. "We need to keep it going."
IVC plays at home again on Tuesday, hosting Riverside at 2:30 p.m.