Baseball team wins second in a row
Apr 25, 2009
The Irvine Valley baseball team picked up an important victory on Saturday, beating Fullerton, 11-4, in an Orange Empire Conference game at IVC.
The win kept Irvine Valley alive in its late push for the playoffs. The Lasers, who are ranked 20th in Southern California, improved their record to 21-18 overall and 10-11 in conference.
Eighteen teams from Southern California qualify for the regional playoffs.
The Lasers have three games left to play - all in the Orange Empire Conference mini tournament next week.
Irvine Valley, which is in fifth place in the conference standings, will host fourth-place Saddleback on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
The Lasers then play at conference-leading Orange Coast on Thursday and at eighth-place Golden West on Friday.
Irvine Valley received its second straight solid pitching performance against Fullerton.
Matt Reyes threw a complete game in a win over the Hornets on Thursday.
And sophomore lefty Jared Haller went eight strong innings in the win on Satuday at home.
Haller allowed four runs (two earned) to improve his record to 3-3 on the season. He gave up 10 hits, one walk, hit one batter and had four strikeouts.
Sophomore Daniel Cabuling pitched a hitless ninth inning, striking out one to close out the game.
Fullerton jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Haller on two hits. Erik Ornales scored on a groundout by Trent Abbott.
The Lasers took the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore designated hitter Alonzo Vasquez reached on an error and then sophomore catcher Corey Thibault hit a two-run home run over the left field fence.
The Lasers increased their lead to 3-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore third baseman Vince Hungerford singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice. He then stole third and came home on a throwing error by Fullerton catcher Nick O'Loughlin.
And Irvine Valley put the game away with four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to go up, 7-1.
Sophomore second baseman Sean Williams drove in two runs with a single to center, a double steal by Hungerford and Williams and a RBI double by freshman center fielder Thomas Mobley.
Irvine Valley added three runs in the bottom of the sixth on a three-run home run by Williams to left. The homer made the score 10-1.
Williams finished the day going 4 for 5 with three runs scored and five RBI. Hungerford was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. And sophomore first baseman Connor Rhoads increased his hitting streak to 10 games by going 1 for 2 with two runs scored. Thibault was 1 for 2 with two RBI.
For Fullerton, Nick Crevantes and O'Loughlin each went 2 for 4 and Ornelas was 2 for 5 with two runs scored. Will Robinson took the loss on the mound and saw his record drop to 4-4 overall.