The Colleges : Community College Roundup : Saddleback Can’t Escape After a Rocky Inning

Saddleback College appeared to be in control of its Orange Empire Conference baseball game against Rancho Santiago Thursday.

The Gauchos had a two-run lead going into the eighth and had Todd Bush, their ace reliever, warming up.

But Saddleback made three errors in the eighth inning and Rancho Santiago scored seven runs en route to an 11-6 victory at Rancho Santiago.

Saddleback led, 6-4, going into the eighth, but Greg Martineau had a two-out double to score Clint Holt.

Saddleback then brought in Bush, who leads the conference with six saves and an earned-run average of 0.90 in 40 innings.

Bush walked pinch-hitter Mark Dion. Another pinch-hitter, George Saldana, then hit a slow roller between first and second that first baseman Brent Ferguson kicked, picked up, but threw into short left field trying to get Dion at second.

The error allowed Martineau to score the tying run. Danny Ontiveros then singled up the middle to drive in Dion.

Center fielder Jeff Walters’ throw to third was wild, and Saldana tried for home as third baseman Derek Gingerich ran down the ball.

Gingerich’s throw to the plate sailed into the Rancho Santiago dugout, allowing Saldana and Ontiveros to score, giving Rancho Santiago a 9-6 lead.

Tim Reynolds then singled and stole second. As he was stealing third, Saddleback reliever Garth Viar threw a wild pitch to score Reynolds.

Conrad Colby singled, went to second on another wild pitch and scored on a single John McTaggart for Rancho Santiago’s final run.

The victory put the Dons (24-12 overall and 13-5 in conference play) a game ahead of second-place Orange Coast (25-9-1, 12-6), and Cypress (26-12, 12-6). There are six games left in the conference race.

Sean Ramos hit a two-run home to give Rancho Santiago at 2-0 lead in the second, but Saddleback took a 3-2 lead in the third.

With two on and no one out, Matt Dahlgren bunted back to pitcher Jack Bailey. Bailey tagged Dahlgren, but jammed the thumb on his glove hand. Ferguson followed with an RBI double, Tony Spaan had an RBI groundout, and Ted Savage added an RBI single.

Rancho Santiago scored in the third to tie it, 3-3, Saddleback scored in the fourth and Rancho Santiago scored in the fifth to tie it, 4-4.

In the sixth, Saddleback took a 6-4 lead. Larry Maddox hit a ball off the left-center-field fence that bounded away from center fielder Ontiveros. Maddox raced all the way around for an inside-the-park home run.

Walters followed with a double and scored on a single by Gingerich.

Bailey (10-2) allowed 11 hits, but went the distance for his seventh victory in conference. Bush (3-2) took the loss.

In other Orange Empire Conference games:

Cypress 3, Fullerton 1--Terry Tewell hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning for Cypress (26-12, 12-6) at Fullerton. Dennis Burbank (10-4) gave up four hits and one run and struck out four in 6 2/3 innings for the victory, and Jeff Patterson earned his second save. Fullerton is 10-22, 5-13).

Golden West 5, Riverside 3--Dave Turner (4-3) pitched a eighth-hitter for Golden West (17-12-1, 11-7) at Riverside.

In Orange Empire Conference men’s tennis:

Saddleback 9, Cypress 0--Gavin Fenske (12-0) defeated Todd Morrison, 6-4, 6-3, and teammed with Jamil Atcha to defeated Morrison and Pete Maracine, 6-0, 6-0, to lead Saddleback (18-1, 12-0) to the conference championship at Saddleback.

Orange Coast 9, Golden West 0--John Gabriel and Eric Rebitzer won their singles matches and teamed for a doubles victory for Orange Coast (17-3, 10-2) at home.