Orange County College Baseball : James Homers Twice to Lead OCC, 6-5
Joey James hit two home runs Thursday, including a three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning, to lead Orange Coast College to a 6-5 win over Cypress in a South Coast Conference baseball game at Cypress.
James, a freshman from Newport Harbor High School, hit a bases-empty homer in the fourth to tie the score at 3-3. James went 3 for 4 with five RBIs. He has 11 home runs and 54 RBIs this season.
James’ second home run ruined a strong effort be Charger right-hander Kurt Stewart, who had retired 14 of 15 hitters before giving up an infield single to Rob Gibbs with two out in the eighth and Cypress leading, 4-3.
Stewart (3-1) then walked Paul Ellison before James, a left-handed batter, hit a 1-2 pitch over the left-center field fence to give the Pirates a 6-4 lead.
Orange Coast is 10-0 in conference and 21-4 overall. Cypress is 6-4 and 20-7.
Cypress scored a run in the bottom of the eighth on three consecutive singles, but the rally ended when Jeff Nicks, attempting a sacrifice, bunted into a double play. Trevor Hoffman grounded out to end the inning.
Freshman right-hander Sam August (6-0) pitched a complete game and earned the win. He gave up nine hits, struck out five and walked five, with only one walk coming after the third inning.
Mike Mayne, Orange Coast coach, claimed responsibility for August’s early control problems.
“I emphasize keeping the ball down in this park and that’s where he (August) was missing,” Mayne said.
After the Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI singles by James and designated hitter Dave Stanton, Cypress came back to tie the score in the bottom of the inning. Mark Baca walked and one out later, sophomore James Jackle hit a home run well beyond the left-field fence.
In other South Coast Conference action:
Golden West 21, Compton 4--Keith Kaub was 3 for 5 with two home runs and seven RBIs to lead the Rustlers (5-5, 11-9) over the Tartars (0-10, 2-13). Kaub has nine home runs. Gary Rinko, who went 4 for 7, tied school records with seven at-bats and five runs scored. Dean Douty (2-3) got the win.
Cerritos 13, Fullerton 10--The Falcons scored four times in the eighth and twice in the ninth to snap a five-game losing streak. Gary Gutierrez got he win; Dave Toigo (0-1) took the loss. Cerritos’ Glenn Twardy was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Brett Barberie was 2 for 6 with two RBIs, including a two-run home run in the ninth. Mike Alvarez was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and Phil Diplock was 2 for 5 with one RBI for Fullerton (5-5, 11-11).
Saddleback 10, Mt. San Antonio 7--The Gauchos (5-5, 13-8) had 13 hits en route to defeating the Mounties. John Seeburger hit a two-run home run in the fourth to tie the score at 2-2, and Bill Dodd hit a grand slam in the sixth to give the Gauchos a 10-2 lead. Winning pitcher John Sinclair (5-3) went 6 innings. He allowed five hits and struck out six. Steve Lipton went 3 for 5 for Saddleback, and Seeburger, Dodd and Jeff Frei each had two hits.
In nonconference college action:
Southern California College 9, Christ College Irvine 1--Catcher Ron Nelson’s three-run triple in the first inning led the Vanguards at Irvine.
Kevin Kasper went 3 for 5 with two doubles, a single and two runs scored. Dean Harvey also went 3 for 5 with with a double, a RBI and one run scored.
Brian Otten (2-4) pitched six innings, allowing five hits and striking out nine, to get the win. Robert Mansfield struck out six in three innings of relief. The Vanguards improved their record to 19-9. Christ College Irvine is 10-12.