Confident Pierce Rolls to 8-2 Win Over Valley

One can hardly ignore the high batting averages, low earned-run averages and other impressive statistics compiled by Pierce College--the No. 2-ranked junior college baseball team in the state.

But aside from the numbers, there is an underlying reason why the Brahmas have lost only twice in 22 games.

Valley witnessed it Saturday as Pierce cruised to an 8-2 Western State Conferences victory over the host Monarchs.

“They believe they’re going to win when they get to the yard,” Valley Coach Chris Johnson said. “That’s a very important thing at this level.”

Playing without injured first baseman Brian Smith (sprained ankle), Pierce (19-2-1, 11-1 in WSC play) rolled on behind the pitching of right-hander Chris Brown and a 10-hit attack led by Ricky Banuelos and Erik Martinez.

“As well as we’ve played all year, we only have a (1 1/2-game) lead in conference,” said Pierce Coach Bob Lofrano, whose club is being pushed by second-place Ventura (9-2). “Every time we step on the field, we have to play it like a championship game.”

This win was Brown’s second over the Monarchs (10-14-1, 5-6-1) this season.

Brown (5-1) survived periods of wildness en route to a five-hitter with three strikeouts. He allowed no earned runs but he walked seven in his first start in 11 days.

“That’s the typical Chris Brown,” Lofrano said. “One-two-three innings aren’t good enough for him.”

Pierce trailed, 2-1, after two innings before scoring two in the third and five in the fourth to take a comfortable 8-2 advantage.

Banuelos, who went three for five with a triple, two runs batted in and three runs scored, was Pierce’s offensive catalyst.

Batting second in the lineup for the first time this year, the shortstop recorded his second consecutive three-hit game.

“I’m just going up there and swinging,” said Banuelos, a sophomore who will attend Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho in the fall.

Martinez, Pierce’s leadoff batter, had two hits and two RBIs. He hit a bases-loaded, ground-rule double in the fourth off starter Jake Loveridge (1-2) and scored on a two-run single by Banuelos.

Jason Cohen, Robby Welles and Joey Arnold each finished with one hit and one RBI for the Brahmas.

Arnold Settles had two hits for Valley, which stranded nine runners. Valley’s Arnie Aguinaga turned in a solid six-inning relief effort in which he yielded no runs and four hits with six strikeouts.

Smith, Pierce’s 6-foot-5, 215-pound sophomore who has 22 RBIs in 11 conference games, injured his ankle in Thursday’s win over Santa Monica. He was on crutches Saturday and could be out for four weeks.