Orange Coast College

Baseball: Pirates jump out early, top Saddleback in Super Regional opener

Friday, May 15, 2009

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College baseball team jumped out early and held on for a 13-8 win over conference rival Saddleback in the opening round of the 2009 Southern California Super Regional Playoffs on Friday, played at OCC's Wendell Pickens Field.

With the win, the second-seeded Pirates (32-13) will stay at OCC and take on Cypress on Saturday at noon. With the loss, Saddleback (29-19) will play at Golden West College at 11 a.m. and face Mt. San Jacinto in an elimination game. The Chargers topped the Eagles, 6-0, in the opening game.

It was all OCC through the first seven innings, thanks in large part to sophomore pitcher Chris Licon (9-2). After a dominating performance against Ventura last weekend, Licon (pictured above story) got the ball again and held the Gauchos to no runs on six hits through 6 2/3 innings, walking none and striking out two.

While Licon kept Saddleback off the scoreboard, the Pirates jumped out to a 13-0 lead with a balanced offensive attack. Drew Hillman led the way with four hits, a run and four RBI, while Ryan Sheeks added three hits, four runs scored and two RBI from the top of the order.

Other offensive stars included Beck Wheeler (2-for-5, two-run home run, one run scored), Brett Wallach (2-for-5, two runs, two RBI), Ricky Stokes (1-for-4, three RBI, pictured right), and Alonzo Torres (1-for-4, two runs).

Saddleback starter Scott Myers (3-1), who held Coast to one earned run through eight innings back on May 1, allowed nine runs (five earned) on seven hits through 3 2/3 innings to take the loss.

After jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first, Coast broke the game open with four runs in the third, four in the fourth and three in the third before tacking on its final run in the seventh.

With Licon out of the game and Coast holding a comfy 13-0 lead, Saddleback made things interesting with a seven-run eighth inning and added a run in the ninth before closer Brett Williams finally recorded the final out of the game.

GAME NOTES -- Prior to the game, Kent Watanabe, the father of the late Jourdan Watanabe, threw out the ceremonial first pitch (pictured above) to OCC infielder Trevor McDonald. McDonald overcame a life-threatening infection earlier this year and looks to return to baseball in 2009-10.