Baseball team defeats Saddleback again
Mar 19, 2009
The Irvine Valley baseball team won its third straight Orange Empire Conference game and second in a row over Saddleback, beating the Gauchos, 12-5, Thursday afternoon at Saddleback.
The Lasers moved alone into fifth place in the conference standings with the win. Irvine Valley's record improved to 11-12 overall and 4-5 in conference.
Saddleback, which is in fourth place, slipped to 15-10 overall and 5-3 in conference.
"We did a lot of things right today," Irvine Valley coach Kent Madole said.
Irvine Valley was solid on the mound and at the plate on Thursday. The Lasers finished with 19 hits.
After being shut down for the first three innings, Irvine Valley scored in fifth straight innings, highlighted by a five-run top of the seventh inning to take a 10-3 lead.
Saddleback scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 10-5, but IVC answered back with two runs of its own in the top of the eighth to go up, 12-5.
The Lasers were led on offense by sophomore right fielder Robbie Robinson, who went 4 for 6 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Three other Laser players had three hits apiece. Freshman shortstop Anthony Gutierrez was 3 for 4 with three runs scored and one RBI, sophomore centerfielder Kory Burkhart went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and one RBI and sophomore catcher Corey Thibault went 3 for 5 with two RBI.
Sophomore first baseman Connor Rhoads went 2 for 6 with a run scored and two RBI, and sophomore second baseman Sean Williams was 2 for 5 with a run scored and two RBI. Sophomore third baseman Vince Hungerford was 1 for 4 with two walks and a run scored. And sophomore left fielder Paul Sandoval went 1 for 4 with one RBI.
All but one IVC starter got a hit in the game. And that player, freshman designated hitter Steven Bayko still reached base three times (two hit by pitches and one walk).
In Irvine Valley's big seventh inning, the first seven batters got on.
Williams, Burkhart, Thibault and Sandoval each had RBI singles in the inning.
On the mound, the Lasers got another quality start from sophomore Matt Reyes. He was a little shaky early, giving up two runs in the first inning and one run in the third, but Reyes settled down after that.
He ended up going 6.0 innings and allowing five runs (all earned) on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
Reyes earned the win to improve to 3-2 on the season.
Sophomore Jared Haller entered in relief of Reyes in the bottom of the seventh inning. He gave up a hit in the seventh that brought in two Saddleback runs.
But Haller got out of the seventh and then set Saddleback down in order in the eighth and allowed a walk in the ninth before striking out Darren Coombs looking to end the game.
Haller went 3.0 innings to earn the save. He gave up one hit and one walk and struck out three batters.
"I thought Matt Reyes pitched a very good game," Madole said. "And Haller was outstanding in relief."
IVC plays again on Saturday, traveling to Golden West for a 12 p.m. game.