Baseball team loses, 9-8, at Santa Ana
Apr 22, 2008
The Irvine Valley baseball team gave the Orange Empire Conference's top team, Santa Ana, all it could handle on Tuesday.
The Lasers held a 5-2 lead after the third inning and were up, 7-5, after five innings.
But the Dons broke a 8-8 tie with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and pulled out a 9-8 win.
The win secured the season series for Santa Ana over Irvine Valley. It was IVC's first series loss in conference play.
The victory improved Santa Ana's record to 30-8 overall and 15-1 in conference, while Irvine Valley slipped to 26-13 overall and 10-6 in conference.
The Lasers went into Tuesday tied for second place in the conference standings with Orange Coast.
IVC hit three home runs in the game, getting them from sophomore shortstop Abel Medina, sophomore catcher Alex Agortsas and freshman designated hitter Paul Sandoval, but it wasn't quite enough.
Medina hit a three-run home run and Agortsas blasted a two-run shot in the third inning to give IVC a 5-2 advantage.
Sandoval's solo home run in the top of the eighth inning tied the game up at 8-8.
But Jake Eccles' infield single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth off IVC closer Dean Persinger gave Santa Ana the victory.
IVC sophomore reliever Robert Purpura was charged with the loss. He pitched 4.0 innings and gave up six hits and four runs (two earned). Purpura walked two and struck out two batters.
Sophomore Danny Heben started on the mound for the Lasers and had his shortest outing of the season. Heben went 4 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and five runs. He struck out two.
For IVC, Medina was 2 for 5 with two runs scored and three RBI, Agortsas was 1 for 3 with two RBI, freshman first baseman Connor Rhoads and sophomore center fielder Matt Ivanoff each went 2 for 5.
Santa Ana out-hit IVC, 15-9. Each team made three errors.
Irvine Valley hosts Santa Ana on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.