Community College Baseball : Jackle’s Homer Lifts Cypress to 9-8 Win

Cypress College’s James Jackle has the reputation of being a good clutch hitter, and when he stepped into the batter’s box for the final time Saturday afternoon, that reputation was at stake.

It was the bottom of the ninth inning, the tying run was on first base and Cypress trailed Santa Ana, 8-7. Good clutch hitters come through in situations like that, and Jackle did.

The freshman hit a Mike Schwabe pitch over the fence in left-center field for a dramatic two-run home run that gave the host Chargers a 9-8 South Coast Conference win over the stunned Dons.

Santa Ana (3-2 in conference and 14-4 overall) had never trailed before the ninth inning. The Dons took a 4-0 lead in the first inning on Pat Flynn’s grand slam, broke a 4-4 tie in the second with three runs for a 7-4 lead and scored a single insurance run in the seventh to make it 8-6.

But in the seventh, Brian Flatten of Cypress (4-1, 10-5) hit a bases-empty home run to cut the score to 8-7. Schwabe, who went all the way and allowed 13 hits in taking his first loss in six decisions, gave up a single to Chris Kocman to start the ninth before Jackle got his second game-winning hit in three days.

Jackle, a redshirt transfer from Cal State Fullerton and former Fullerton High School star, earlier had doubled twice and knocked in a run. However, when he batted with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Schwabe got him to ground out to shortstop and end a potential rally.

“I wasn’t going to let that happen again,” Jackle said after he was mobbed by his teammates. “I was looking forward to the ninth inning as soon as the sixth was over, because I knew I’d get one more chance.”

The game started disastrously for Cypress. With one out in the first inning, Charger starting pitcher Jim Bennet misplayed Doug Maher’s roller in front of the plate for an error. One out later, Ruben Gonzalez got his first of four hits and then Neil Evans walked, leaving the bases loaded for Flynn. Flynn then hit a Bennet pitch over the fence in dead center for a quick 4-0 Santa Ana lead.

Cypress cut the lead to 7-6 with two runs in the fifth inning (one driven in by Jackle) before Santa Ana scored a controversial run in the seventh.

With the bases loaded and one out, pinch-hitter Bob Cassidy hit a ground ball to shortstop. Cypress’ Jim Patterson fielded it and threw to Jeff Nicks for a force at second, but Nicks’ relay to first base was too late to get Cassidy. Gonzalez scored to make it 8-6, and Cypress assistant coach Bill Pinkham was not too happy about it. He and Cypress Coach Scott Pickler complained about the call to umpire Paul Williams and then Pinkham was abruptly ejected.

Randy Bouman (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth inning in relief of Bennet to get the win. Bennet worked eight innings and allowed four earned runs and eight hits.

In other South Coast action:

Orange Coast 26, Compton 1--The Pirates (2-4, 6-7-1) exploded for 17 runs and 16 hits in the first three innings to win at home.

Leading 8-0 after two innings, Orange Coast scored nine times in the third inning on seven hits, including a two-run home run by outfielder Gene Roumimper. Shortstop Dan Rolland was 3 for 6, with a home run, triple and single. Rolland had six RBIs and scored four times. In all, the Pirates had 26 hits. Three Pirate pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts in the game. Pitcher Longo Garcia got credit for the win.

Golden West 11, Fullerton 7--Rustler second baseman Andy Mota had the game-winning hit, a two-run double in the fourth inning, to lead Golden West (4-2, 10-3) to the victory at Fullerton. Mota’s double capped a three-run inning that saw the Rustlers overcome a 5-3 Hornet lead.

Fullerton (1-4, 13-8) scored its five runs in the second inning on the strength of a two-run single by Corby Oakes and a three-run homer by center fielder Mitch Swalley.