JC Baseball: Rustlers come up short
The Golden West College baseball team has led in 11 of its 15 game this season and was tied in another after four innings. But after completing its preconference schedule on Tuesday, the Rustlers are barely more than breaking even.
“We’ve coughed up some games that we shouldn’t have,” said Coach Bert Villarreal, whose Rustlers couldn’t capitalize on getting ahead in the count in Tuesday’s 7-4 loss to visiting Chaffey.
“Most of the preseason, we’ve been getting ahead of hitters, then just laying pitches right down the middle,” Villarreal said. “We’re missing all the way across the strike zone; missing location, a lot of the time in 0-2 and 1-2 counts. All [the Panthers’] runs were scored in 0-2 and 1-2 counts today and that’s what has been happening in all our losses. We just have to get better.”
Chaffey (11-4), ranked No. 19 in Southern California, jumped on starter Nathan Geissler and reliever Justin Marquez for five runs on six hits in the first two innings.
The Rustlers scored single runs in the third and fifth innings and, while freshman pitcher Troy Bethel was putting up zeroes, added two in the eighth to pull within a run.
But Rustlers reliever Andrew Pactwa surrendered three straight singles in the ninth, as the Panthers scored twice (one of which was charged to Bethel), to drop Golden West to 8-7.
“We’ve been swinging the bats,” said Villarreal, whose team, ranked No. 20 in SoCal, is hitting .308 after collecting 10 hits Tuesday. “It has been a pleasant surprise, offensively.”
Eight Rustlers starters had at least one hit against Chaffey, with sophomore left fielder Jake Hinzo and freshman first baseman Jeff Zordani both going two for four. Hinzo’s double inside third base in the eighth drove in two runs to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Sophomore shortstop Louie Canjura singled to open the Golden West ninth, but Chris Rodriguez hit into a double play and reliever Matt Vigil finished his scoreless inning with a strikeout to record his second save.
Chaffey starter Nathan Geissler allowed three hits and one run in four innings to improve to 3-1 in his fifth start.
Bethel, who allowed no hits over his first four innings, gave up a leadoff double in the ninth and exited one out later.
“Bethel did a helluva job,” Villarreal said of the left-hander who lowered his earned-run average from 8.68 to 6.59 (now in 132/3 innings). “He battled and kept us in it.”
Zakk Morgan, who leads the Rustlers with 12 RBIs, and Rodriguez also drove in runs for the hosts, who open Orange Empire Conference play on Tuesday at home against Saddleback (11-3), ranked No. 1 in SoCal.
Hinzo tops the team with a .400 batting average, while Morgan is hitting .397.
Sophomore right fielder Nick Tingrides, among those with hits Tuesday, and Zordani are both hitting .375. Tingrides has nine RBIs, while Zordani has eight and leads the team with two home runs and six doubles.
Golden West sophomore catcher Myles Moran had one hit and threw out two runners trying to steal second.
Nonconference
Chaffey 7, Golden West 4
SCORE BY INNINGS
Chaffey 320 000 002 – 7 13 0
GWC 001 010 020 – 4 10 0
Geissler, Taylor (5), McClure (6), Delgadillo (8), Vigil (9) and Lander; Sturgeon, Marquez (2), Bethel (5), Pactwa (9) and Moran. W – Geissler, 3-1. L – Sturgeon, 0-1. Sv – Vigil (2). 2B – Nichols (C) 2, Hinzo (GWC), Stevens (C). 3B – McCann (C).
Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5
