Orange County Community College Baseball : James Leads OCC’s Power Play Over Riverside
Joey James’ Orange Coast College teammates pretended to ignore him after he hit his second home run in two innings in OCC’s 15-0 Orange Empire Conference victory over Riverside Saturday at Costa Mesa.
The Pirates have seen this kind of performance before.
James, a 6-foot, 205-pound outfielder with powerful arms who hit 19 home runs last year, has 12 this season. He added an RBI single Saturday to finish 3 for 5 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
James, who had been suffering from a sore back and a cold, had not had an extra-base hit in six games. He led off the fifth with a home run, and when he crossed home plate, he was greated by joyous teammates.
But when James hit a two-run home run in the sixth, his teammates decided to act nonchalant. There was no home-plate celebration or one in the dugout. On the bench, some looked away and others talked and pointed toward the field. Finally, after 30 seconds, he was mobbed again.
“I could see they were going to give me the silent treatment, so I just went in and sat down,” James said. “I couldn’t believe the second pitch. It was just right there and I had to hit it.”
James led a productive day for Orange Coast.
Starting pitcher John Kuzmic (5-0) allowed one hit in seven innings, and he, Jim Dedrick and Scott Stoerck combined for the shutout.
Kuzmic walked seven, struck out 10 and hit a batter. The only hit he allowed was Darryl Hogan’s infield single in the fifth.
Hogan, who hit a high bouncer toward third baseman Ralph Ramirez, was safe on a close play.
Stoerck gave up a single to Riverside’s Greg Ayers in the ninth.
The shutout was OCC’s first in conference, and the Orange Empire’s third of the season.
The others were recorded by Rancho Santiago. David Tellers threw a shutout against Cypress March 17 and Mike Anthony shut out Citrus Saturday as Rancho Santiago (11-3, 24-7) remained a game behind OCC (12-2, 27-8) with a 10-0 victory.
Orange Coast was also led by Mike Lujan, who hit his second grand slam of the season in the third as the Pirates scored eight runs off loser David Demechko. Lujan broke a 1-for-19 slump over the last five games by going 2 for 4. He has four home runs.
Ralph Ramirez had three hits and three RBIs and teammates Rex Peters, Brent Mayne and Mike Misuraca had two hits each for OCC.
In other Orange Empire Conference play:
Rancho Santiago 10, Citrus 0--Troy Barnhart was 2 for 2 with four RBIs and Brent Reese was 2 for 3 with his 11th home run and three RBIs as the Dons defeated the Owls at Santa Ana. Mike Anthony (7-1) pitched eight innings, allowing six hits and striking out four to earn the victory.
Cypress 7, Saddleback 3--Paul Bunch hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to lead the Chargers (4-10, 20-17) at home. Kevin Bumgarner (3-2) scattered seven hits and two walks and struck out five for the victory. Mark Williamson was 2 for 3 with a solo homer in the sixth for the Gauchos (3-11, 11-18).
In South Coast Conference play:
Golden West 4, Compton 1--Chip Damato extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a two-run home run and an RBI double, as the Rustlers (9-13, 14-15) defeated the Tartars at Golden West. Freshman left-hander Steve Watson (4-3) went the distance on a four-hitter and struck out 10.
Long Beach 2, Fullerton 1--Ray Gallegos, who scored the tying run in the ninth, drove in Frank Meza with a two-out single in the bottom of the 10th as the Vikings (12-10, 20-16) upset the Hornets (17-5, 23-10-2) at Long Beach. Reliever Craig Oden (2-3) took the loss for Fullerton. Fullerton starter Mark Kiefer pitched 8 innings, allowing one run, four hits and four walks. Tim Churchill was 3 for 5 with Fullerton’s only RBI.