Orange Coast College

Baseball: Pirates top Vikings in playoff opener, 9-4

Friday, May 09, 2008

COSTA MESA -- One throwing error opened the door for a big inning and the Orange Coast College baseball team stepped through with six early runs en route to a 9-4 win over visiting Long Beach City in the opening round of the Southern California Regionals on Friday at Wendell Pickens Field.

In the bottom of the second, a leadoff walk Kyle Muhlsteff was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Brett Wallach, but LBCC catcher Derek Junghanel sailed the throw over the first baseman's head, putting runners on first and second with nobody out. Another sacrifice bunt by Ryan Dunn advanced the runners to first and second and following a Ryan Sheeks walk, Chris Fung drove in two runs with a single to left, scoring Muhlsteff and Wallach.

Cory Olson walked and Wes Kartch popped up for what should have been the third out of the inning. But Drew Hillman made the error hurt with a two-run single to center, scoring Sheeks and Fung to make it 4-0.

Watanabe capped off the six-run frame with a two-run double to left, scoring Olson and Hillman. Five of the six runs scored in the second inning were unearned, but the damage was done.

The Vikings (26-19) got as close as 6-2 after an RBI single by Michael Schultz in the fifth and a solo home run by Junghanel in the sixth, but the Pirates (31-13-1) responded with a two-run home run by Olson off the left-field foul pole in the sixth and a solo blast by Watanabe in the seventh.

That was more than enough offense for sophomore lefty Brandon Dixon, who earned his 10th win of the season. He pitched 7 1/3 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

OCC and LBCC will return to Pickens Field on Saturday at 11 a.m. for Games 2 & 3 (if necessary) of the three-game series.