With three weeks left in the regular season and wins at a premium, the Irvine Valley baseball team lost a tough one Tuesday afternoon in Costa Mesa.

Orange Coast scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie and win the Orange Empire Conference contest, 2-1.

The Lasers couldn't get much going against Orange Coast starting pitcher Brett Wallach, who threw eight innings to earn the win and improve to 5-1 on the year.

Wallach held IVC to just one run on three hits and three walks. He struck out five and lowered his ERA to 2.57.

IVC righty Gary Gerhardt (4-4) was just as impressive, going the distance and taking a hard-luck loss. He allowed just two runs on 11 hits, walking one and striking out three in eight innings.

Orange Coast (25-9, 13-3) maintained its lead atop the conference standings with the win.

Irvine Valley slipped to 19-15 overall and 8-8 in conference. The Lasers went into the game in a tie for fourth place in the standings with Saddleback.

IVC trailed, 1-0, after the first inning, but tied the game up in the top of the fourth. Second baseman Sean Williams' single drove in designated hitter Steven Bayko, who had walked to open up the inning.

From there it was a battle of the pitchers with Wallach and Gerhardt filling up the scoreboard with zeros.

But Orange Coast finally got to Gerhardt in the bottom of the eighth.

Drew Hillman and Wallach singled with one out and after a flyout, Beck Wheeler had a two-out, RBI single to right, scoring Hillman.

OCC's Chris Licon took the mound in the ninth and retired the Lasers in order for his second save of the season.

Ryan Sheeks, Wheeler and D.J. Arellano each had two hits for the Pirates. Left fielder Kory Burkhart, Williams and first baseman Connor Rhoads had a hit each for the Lasers.

Irvine Valley hosts Orange Coast on Thursday at 2 p.m.