COLLEGE BASEBALL : STATE REGIONAL FINALS : Pierce Pulls Out Another Victory, 5-4

Yes, it happened again for the Pierce College baseball team. And yes, the Brahmas provided yet another example of what it means to live and win on the edge.

Pierce came from behind to win for the fourth game in a row, a 5-4 victory over a stunned Rancho Santiago team Saturday in the second round of the Southern California regional finals at Pierce.

“This had to be the biggest test of the year,” said Pierce designated hitter Robby Welles, who tied the score, 4-4, in the eighth with a three-run home run. “It’s just Pierce magic. You can never, ever count us out.”

Erik Martinez won it for Pierce with a bases-loaded grounder in the bottom of the ninth. The ball bounced between the legs of Rancho Santiago shortstop Tito Quiles, who was playing on the infield grass.

The win puts Pierce (31-6-1), seeded No. 1 in the regional, one game away from reaching the state championship tournament for the first time in school history. The Brahmas will play host to Rancho Santiago today at 11 a.m. with the regional final championship on the line. The Dons eliminated Mt. San Antonio, 11-2, later Saturday. Pierce will have two chances to secure one victory.

Right-hander Eric Raba (12-0) pitched a nine-hitter, throwing only 93 pitches. He yielded two earned runs, struck out two and walked one.

“I thought Eric threw the ball very well,” Pierce Coach Bob Lofrano said. “He gives us a chance to win it. That’s why he’s 12-0.”

Through seven innings, it was Rancho Santiago right-hander J.J. Thobe who appeared unbeatable.

Thobe (9-4), a sophomore who has signed a letter of intent with Pepperdine, took a 4-1 lead into the eighth after the fourth-seeded Dons (29-13) scored two unearned runs in the first and single runs in the sixth and eighth.

But with one out, Joey Arnold got Pierce started with a walk. Jason Cohen, who had two hits and two runs, followed with a sharp grounder to first that got under the glove of Chris Lugo for an error.

Brian Smith (two hits, one run batted in) hit a chopper to third that the Dons narrowly missed converting into a double play when Derek Brown threw to first after tagging third to retire Arnold.

Up stepped Welles, Pierce’s sophomore slugger who was hitless with two strikeouts. Behind in the count one ball, two strikes, Welles took a high curve to even the count. Thobe then hung a knuckle-curve and Welles tied the score with a three-run homer to left, his 14th home run of the season.

“He has hit so many (home runs) that have meant something,” Lofrano said. “But none bigger than that.”

Although Thobe retired Josh Smaler (two hits) for the final out in the eighth, the effects of Welles’ homer appeared to linger when the Rancho Santiago pitcher took the mound in the ninth.

Ricky Banuelos, who turned in several standout defensive plays at shortstop, led off with a single and took second when Thobe threw late to second on Adam Pearlman’s bunt. Paul Geller laid down another bunt, and catcher Robin Lindsey threw to third a split second late to load the bases with none out.

Then, with the infield drawn in, Martinez hit a ground ball that went between the legs of Quiles and Banuelos scored.

“We didn’t play catch and we lost the ballgame,” Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said. “We had four or five chances to get out of the inning.”

Lindsey (two hits, two RBIs) and designated hitter Steve Thobe, J.J.’s brother, each hit solo homers for Rancho Santiago.