COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Rancho Santiago Rewards Filbeck

Rancho Santiago pitcher Ryan Filbeck patiently kept Cypress at bay in a Southern California playoff game Friday, waiting for the Dons’ offense to come alive.

Rancho Santiago rewarded his work with a nine-run eighth inning and the Dons went on to a 12-4 victory.

The Dons (36-8) play host to Riverside at 11 a.m. today in the winners’ bracket of the double-elimination tournament. Riverside defeated Chaffey, 6-4, Friday.

Cypress (29-17) plays Chaffey at Fullerton College at 10 a.m.

Darren Troilo hit two home runs and had four runs batted in and Derek Brown had two doubles and two RBIs in the eighth inning for Rancho Santiago.

The Dons started the inning leading, 3-2. Brown lined a double off the right-center field fence. Troilo followed with a home run over the left-field fence off losing pitcher Aaron France (5-3).

David Gonzalez later had a two-run double to give Rancho Santiago a 7-2 lead. After a run scored on an error, Brown hit a two-run double and Troilo capped the inning with another two-run home run to right-center field. It was his fourth.

Filbeck (7-1) struck out six of the first nine he faced and finished with 10 in 8 1/3 innings. He was at his best in the seventh, after Corey Dean-Yeager tripled in a run to cut the Rancho Santiago lead to, 3-2, with one out.

Filbeck came back to get leadoff hitter Eric Stevens on a called third strike for the second out. He then retired Kevin Clark, the Orange Empire Conference’s player of the year, on a liner to right that Gonzalez caught despite having the sun in his eyes.

Filbeck, who missed about two weeks earlier this season because of a sore arm, has allowed four runs in 17 1/3 innings in the playoffs.

“Obviously, Filbeck is back and that is a big lift for us,” Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said.

Brandon Hoalton (10-0) is expected to start today for Rancho Santiago against Riverside’s Jeff Barker (7-2). The Dons won three of four games against Riverside this season.