Welles Has Blast in Opener as Pierce Routs Glendale, 19-3

Just when and where the Pierce College hit parade will end is anyone’s guess, but if the Brahmas’ opening act is a fair indication, it figures to be a fence-rattling experience.

Pierce began its baseball season Friday with a 19-3 victory over Glendale in a Foothill-Citrus tournament game at Stengel Field in Glendale. Robby Welles led the rampage with two home runs and seven runs batted in.

“Hitting is contagious and it got contagious early,” Pierce Coach Bob Lofrano said after the Brahmas took a 9-0 lead in two innings and cruised the rest of the way in support of pitcher Chris Brown (1-0).

Nearly every Brahma hitter participated. Pierce finished with 13 hits and 14 walks, but the main attraction was Welles.

The sophomore transfer from Arizona State blasted a grand slam in the first inning and a three-run home run in the second that left Glendale reeling.

His first was a prodigious smash to left and came with one out on a two-strike pitch from Glendale starter Mark Vail (0-1).

“He tried to get an 0-2 fastball by me and I got it by him,” said Welles (two for four). His second homer came off reliever Miguel Aguilar and followed a two-run single by Brian Smith.

Pierce finished with four home runs. Left fielder Josh Smaler capped a three-for-three performance with a three-run homer in the eighth inning, and catcher Adam Pearlman (two for five) hit one with the bases empty in the fifth.

Center fielder Erik Martinez went three for five and Smith finished with a pair of singles and three RBIs for Pierce, the defending co-Western State Conference champion.

Overshadowed by the Brahmas’ offensive prowess was a solid outing by right-hander Brown (1-0), who overcame a shaky start and finished with a three-hitter over eight innings, striking out five and walking five.

Glendale had its moment in the third. John Horan hit a solo homer to left and Gabe Petek followed one batter later with an opposite-field two-run homer to left.

That was it for the Vaqueros. The Pierce defense, led by shortstop Ricky Banuelos (six assists, one putout) played errorless ball to help Brown pitch to just one batter over the minimum through the eighth before reliever Jason Mansfield came on to work a perfect ninth.