Pirates score late and edge Vaqueros, 2-1

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College baseball team celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a win as the Pirates edged visiting Glendale, 2-1, on Tuesday at OCC's John Altobelli Park.

After allowing 51 runs over their past four games, the Pirates (12-10) found their groove on the mound and held the Vaqueros (14-8-1) to one run on six hits for the entire game.

OCC starter Sullivan Spivey set the tone for the game, retiring the first 10 batters he faced. He pounded the low portion of the strike zone and used eight ground-ball outs and two strikeouts to keep the Vaqueros off the bases. 

Finally, in the top of the fourth, Glendale scored first when Andrew Garcia singled to center, stole second, stole third and scored two batters later on an RBI-single to center off the bat of Julian Areliz.

Glendale starter Anthony Yepez and reliever Colbe Bette did their parts to match Spivey as the Vaquero duo held OCC's offense to no runs on just one hit over the first five innings. 

Spivey held the Vaqueros to just one run on two hits with no walks and three strikeouts through the first five innings. Reliever Anthony Rasic picked up where he left off and threw two scoreless frames on just two hits with three strikeouts.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Pirates used the long ball to tie the game up as Flynn Barnes launched his second home run of the season, evening things at 1.

Geon Baek tossed an effective eighth inning, but after a potential third out was lost in the sun, suddenly, Glendale had second life with runners on the corners. Coast went to closer Cristian Mares, who got out of the jam on one pitch as Areliz lined out to shortstop Ryan Farias to end the threat.

In the bottom of the eighth, Andrew Chorbagian was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Alan Choo walked and a perfect bunt-single by Tyler Covington loaded the bases with nobody out. Zach Boynton stepped and scored Chorbagian with a sacrifice fly to center, putting Coast up, 2-1.

That would be all that Mares would need to earn his second win of the season as he struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth, walked the next batter, then, ended the game with a fly out to outfielder, Jake Wood.

Game 2 of this three-game series will take place on Thursday at Glendale College, beginning at 1 p.m., with the series finale back at OCC's John Altobelli Park on Friday, also at 1 p.m.