COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Rancho Santiago Moves Into Lead in Conference

Sophomore Matt Lackie pitched a six-hitter to lead Rancho Santiago College to a 7-1 victory over Fullerton in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game Tuesday at Fullerton.

Rancho Santiago (20-5 overall, 9-3 in conference) moves into sole possession of first place, a game ahead of Riverside, which lost, 20-2, to Cypress.

Lackie (7-2) leads Orange County in victories. Fullerton’s Steve Trachsel (6-2) pitched 4 2/3 innings and took the loss.

Conrad Colby and Marty Neff had RBI singles in the first inning as Rancho Santiago took a 3-0 lead. Jeff White had an RBI single in the third to give Rancho Santiago a 4-0 lead.

Steve Grack had a two-run single and Rob Reimers singled in another run in the fifth for Rancho Santiago.

Jim Short had two hits for Fullerton (16-7, 7-5). which lost its fourth consecutive game.

In other Orange Empire Conference baseball games:

Cypress 20, Riverside 2--Tom Puppe had two hits and five runs batted in, including a three-run home run, and Jason Bates had a solo home run as host Cypress had 20 hits.

Riverside starter Ben Blomdahl (8-2) gave up seven runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Noe Najera (4-2) pitched seven innings for the victory. Riverside is 20-7, 8-4.

Doug McConathy had four hits, and scored four runs, Tom Acuna had three hits and four RBIs, Steve Rath had three hits and five RBIs, and Terry Tewell and Troy Babbitt each had three hits for Cypress (15-12, 4-8).

Orange Coast 11, Saddleback 3--Jon Douris (1-3) allowed six hits and had 10 strikeouts in nine innings for host Orange Coast (11-14, 4-8). Rod McCall had two doubles and three RBIs, and Sid Maldonado had three hits and two RBIs for Orange Coast.

Saddleback is 9-12, 3-9.

In Orange Empire Conference men’s tennis:

Orange Coast 7, Cypress 2--Ilkyung Choi and Dave Moore won, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, in doubles for host Orange Coast (12-1, 6-1).