Choo, Haruki lead Pirates past Cougars
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cuesta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 0 |
|
Orange Coast | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | X | 7 | 12 | 2 |
COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College baseball team overcame a few scares by the Cuesta College Cougars but still managed to pull out a 7-6 nonconference win on Friday at OCC's John Altobelli Park.
The Pirates (4-4) winners of four in a row after an 0-4 start, carried a 4-1 lead into the seventh inning before the Cougars (2-5) used a four-run inning to grab a 5-4 advantage heading into the stretch.
Zach Boynton (2-for-4, one run) singled to lead off the seventh and two batters later Jake Haruki put the Pirates back in front with a line-drive, two-run home run to left, putting Coast ahead, 6-5.
Cuesta again responded with a run in the top of the eighth to even the game at 6 before Haruki (2-for-5, one run, three RBI) again came through with a two-out, bases-loaded, run-scoring, infield single, scoring Andrew Chorbagian on the play.
In the top of the ninth, OCC reliever Cristian Mares made things stressful for the Pirates with a pair of hit batters. But the talented righty used FOUR strikeouts in the inning to preserve the win. Mares' third punch-out got away from Haruki behind the plate, allowing the Cougars to load the bases. Finally, Mares struck out his final batter to lead the bases loaded to preserve the OCC win. Mares pitched two scoreless frames to earn the win for OCC.
Brady Rea went 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Cougars, while Ethan Flynn added two hits, a run and an RBI.
Alan Choo was the early run-producer for the Pirates, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI, including a two-run double and a solo home run, his fourth of the season.
Game 3 of this three-game series takes place on Saturday at John Altobelli Park, beginning at 2 p.m.
