A Harbor Cruise: Seahawks Rout Pierce in Playoff Opener

The Harbor College baseball team, fresh from a nine-day layoff, pounded out 16 hits and benefited from four Pierce errors in an 18-5 Southern California regional victory Saturday at Harbor.

The third-seeded Seahawks (29-10) scored six runs in the first two innings off Pierce starting pitcher Dan Rodriguez (6-4), who gave up 11 runs before he was relieved by Osman Khan in fourth.

Harbor was led by first baseman Tristan Paul, who hit a grand slam in a six-run fourth off Rodriguez. Catcher Jeff Poor hit a solo homer in the fourth off Khan.

The Seahawks added six runs in the sixth, including two-run singles by Poor and left fielder Josh Bendik.

Harbor’s Clint Lynch (6-2) scattered eight hits in seven innings.

“Lynch didn’t have his best stuff, but he had enough to get by,” Harbor Coach Tony Bloomfield said. “He did a heck of a job and got us where we wanted to be.”

Fourteenth-seeded Pierce (22-16) had averaged nine runs a game in finishing second in the Western State Conference.

“We figured they were going to score some runs and they hit the ball hard,” Bloomfield said. “We just happened to be in the right place at the right time. But they were a (state) final-four team last year and I expect them to come back.”

Harbor’s Javier Mejia (7-0) will pitch against Pierce’s Steve Pack (5-2) in the second game of the best-of-three series today at 11 a.m. at Harbor. A third game, if needed, would follow.

Pierce Coach Bob Lofrano is confident his team will regroup.

“We’re not intimidated by them,” he said. “They played very well and they made the nice plays. But baseball’s a funny game and we get another chance at them tomorrow.”

Harbor center fielder Rolando Avila said the Seahawks have sent Pierce a message.

“They’re up against the wall and they know what we’re capable of doing,” he said. “Now they have to come out and try to stop us.”