Community College Baseball : Guccione, Pierce Stop Long Beach

Mike Guccione gave up only three hits in seven innings as Orange Coast College defeated Los Angeles Harbor, 3-1, Wednesday in the first round of the Long Beach tournament at Long Beach.

Guccione (1-0) struck out five and walked five. Eddie Pierce replaced him in the eighth inning with no outs and a runner on first. Pierce retired the last six batters, striking out two, for the save.

The Pirates (16-8-1) took a 1-0 lead in the third. Consecutive singles by Isidro Maldonado and Mike Kelly put runners on first and second with no outs. Maldonado later scored on a sacrifice fly by Craig Nixon.

In the fifth, Mike Kelly walked and went to third on a single by Hector Santa Cruz. Kelly scored on a sacrifice fly by Pierce.

In the eighth, Nixon led off with a triple and scored on a groundout by Marty Cordova.

In another Long Beach tournament game:

Long Beach 15, Fullerton 0--Damion Esaley had two hits, including a three-run homer, and five RBIs to lead Long Beach (9-10) in a first-round game at Long Beach. Rob Mouw had three hits and three RBIs for the Vikings. Rick Beutell (3-1) pitched a six-hitter, striking out nine, for the victory. Kevin Monson and Willie Speakman each had two hits for Fullerton (8-13).

In the Channel Islands tournament:

Rancho Santiago 9, Cosumnes River 8--Marty Neff’s bases-loaded chopper in the bottom of the ninth inning scored two runs to rally Rancho Santiago to the first-round victory at Moorpark College. Sean Ramos scored from third and, after the ball got away from the shortstop, John McTaggart also scored. McTaggart was three for five with three runs scored, two homers and four RBIs for Rancho Santiago (15-8). The Dons play Moorpark today at 2 p.m.