JUNIOR COLLEGE BASEBALL : Cypress Defeats Pierce to Move Into State Final Four

The longest post-season run in Pierce College baseball history came to an abrupt end Sunday afternoon when Cypress’ Jason Bates hit a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Bates’ home run came in the final game of the second round of the Southern California regional and gave Cypress a 5-4 victory and a berth in the state final four in Sacramento. Pierce beat Cypress, 6-2, in the morning game to force an afternoon finale to the double-elimination tournament at Harbor.

Bates, one of only two junior college players invited to the upcoming Pan American Games trials, drilled the game-winning home run to right field off Pierce’s top reliever Louis Birdt (5-1), who had not allowed a home run in more than 20 appearances this season.

“I think everybody knew it was gone when he hit it,” said Birdt, who was pitching his fourth game in three days.

Pierce (26-15) lost an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the ninth when it loaded the bases but could not score.

Mike Vanacore was thrown out at the plate trying to score from third when Pat Huston attempted to steal second and was caught in a rundown. Glenn Nahmias struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Pierce also left the bases loaded in the third and sixth innings.

Trailing 4-1 after five innings, Pierce rallied for three runs in the sixth. Three straight walks loaded the bases with none out. Nahmias singled in Huston, and Jim Wolf followed with a two-run single to tie the score at four.

Pierce reloaded the bases in the sixth when Cypress (33-15) brought in ace Robert Legendre, who ended the rally with a strikeout. Legendre (8-4) held Pierce scoreless in the final 3 1/3 innings.

Cypress had beaten Pierce, 15-3, in the morning game Saturday, but Pierce bounced back in the morning game Sunday behind the commanding pitching of Juan Soriano (4-0).

In his first start of the season, Soriano held Cypress to one hit in the first seven innings and allowed only two runs in eight-plus innings.

Wolf had a two-run home run, and Huston had three hits and two runs batted in for Pierce.