Baseball team beats Orange Coast, sets up Friday showdown
May 02, 2008
The Irvine Valley baseball team just made Friday a fun day for baseball in the Orange Empire Conference.
The Lasers defeated Orange Coast, 11-8, Thursday afternoon at IVC to create a tie for second place in the conference standings between the two teams.
Orange Coast (29-13-1, 13-7) and Irvine Valley (29-14, 13-7) meet on Friday, in the final game of the regular season, with a lot on the line.
For starters, second place in the standings behind Santa Ana, which has already wrapped up the title. Playoff seeding and being a host for one and possibly two rounds in the playoffs could also be up for grabs.
"It can't get any better," IVC Coach Kent Madole said. "It comes down to one game."
Irvine Valley put itself in position to go after second place with the important win on Thursday. The Lasers jumped out to a 7-0 lead and then held on.
"There were some shifts back and forth in the game," Madole said. "It was two teams going at it. It really felt like a playoff game."
The Lasers got on the board quick, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore shortstop Abel Medina knocked in sophomore center fielder Matt Ivanoff, who singled to lead off the inning.
After a single by freshman first baseman Connor Rhoads, sophomore catcher Alex Agortsas doubled to left field to put IVC ahead, 2-0.
Irvine Valley added to its lead with a run in the bottom of the third thanks to an OCC error.
IVC looked like it might have put the game out of reach with four more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Two Pirate errors and a walk loaded the bases for the Lasers. Then Rhoads hit a double to bring in two runs. Agortsas followed with a single through the left side to score two more runs and put Irvine Valley ahead, 7-0.
Orange Coast came right back with four runs in the top of the sixth and then scored another two runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by catcher Jourdan Watanabe to pull within 7-6.
"Orange Coast is a very good team and we knew they were going to make a run," Madole said. "But I liked the way our guys kept their composure when things got tight."
But IVC grabbed the momentum right back in the bottom of the eighth with four runs to take a 11-6 advantage. With the bases loaded pinch-hitter Paul Sandoval was hit by a pitch to bring in one run. With two outs, sophomore right fielder Brian Ferrante's single scored two runs. And on the play another run scored on an OCC throwing error.
IVC closer Dean Persinger gave up two runs in the ninth, but the Lasers still picked up the win.
"It was a great game for us today," Madole said. "I am proud of all the guys. It was a collective team effort. I thought there were some really big moments and plays where different guys came through for us."
Freshman Matt Reyes earned the win on the mound for Irvine Valley. He improved his record to 7-2 after throwing 5 1/3 innings. Reyes gave up eight hits and four runs with two walks and three strikeouts.
Sophomore reliever Robert Purpura allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings and Persinger went 2 innings, giving up two runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Ryan Rosenhahn took the loss for OCC. He went 5 innings and gave up seven runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He also hit two batters.
For IVC at the plate, Agortsas was 3 for 4 with three RBI, Rhoads went 2 for 5 with two runs and two RBI, Ferrante was 1 for 3 with two runs and two RBI, Medina went 1 for 2 with one RBI and Ivanoff was 1 for 5 with two runs scored.
Orange Coast was led by Watanabe and Brent Wallach, who were each 3 for 5 with two RBI.
Friday's game is at Orange Coast at 2 p.m.