Community College Baseball : Cypress Advances to Mt. SAC Semifinals

Bert Lizarraga’s two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday led undefeated Cypress College to a 4-2 win over West Los Angeles in a semifinals of the Mt. San Antonio Tournament at Walnut.

The Chargers (4-0) trailed, 2-1, going into the seventh inning when they scored a run to make it 2-2. Lizarraga then hit his home run in the following inning to put Cypress within one win of the championship of the double-elimination tournament.

Bob Goodall pitched 1 innings in relief of starter Jim Bennett to get the win. Robin Torres was the loser.

Brian Flatten went 3 for 4 for Cypress, which can win the tournament championship this afternoon by beating either West Los Angeles or Fullerton, who play this morning for the loser’s bracket championship. If Cypress loses, another game will be played Sunday since West L.A. and Fullerton each have a defeat in the tournament.

In other Mt. San Antonio Tournament action:

Fullerton 10, Mt. San Antonio 3--The Hornets scored five times in the first inning and beat the host Mounties in a loser’s bracket game. Corby Oakes’ first for two triples drove in two runs in the big inning and helped Robert Hernandez even his record at 1-1. Mike Alvarez went 4 for 6 for Fullerton.

Fullerton 8, Mira Costa 2--Geno Lopinto had a run-scoring triple and then stole home to lead the Hornets to victory in the loser’s bracket semifinal game. Oakes went 2 for 3, including his third triple of the day, to support the strong pitching of Gary Stotereau. Stotereau worked six innings to improve his record to 2-0.

In nonconference action:

Golden West 6, Hancock 4--The Rustlers scored three runs with two out in the fifth inning, and defeated the Bulldogs at Santa Maria.

The Rustlers (2-0) trailed, 3-2, before rallying in the fifth. The key hit was Mike Campeau’s two-run double. Steve Overeem pitched 3 innings in relief of starter Larry Salaets to get the win. Gary Buckles worked a scoreless ninth inning to earn a save.

Martin Casey led the Golden West attack by going 3 for 5 with a home run, while teammates Todd Nash and Shane Flores each had two hits.

Orange Coast 19, Cal Poly Pomona JV 4--The Pirates pounded Bronco pitching for 23 hits and won easily at Costa Mesa. The Pirates (2-0) scored two runs in the first inning and then got seven in the second. Orange Coast was ahead, 19-0, before Pomona got two runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Ed Pimentel went 4 for 6 with two RBIs, Dave Rolland was 3 for 3 with four RBIs and Tim McKercher was 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Jeff Goettsch allowed five hits in seven innings to get the win.

Orange Coast plays a Pirate alumni team at noon today.