COMMUNITY COLLEGE REGIONAL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Sophomore Pitcher Fills In for Rancho Santiago

Rancho Santiago got a lift from an unexpected source Saturday as the Dons beat Riverside, 12-6, in a Southern California community college baseball playoff game at Los Angeles Harbor.

Sophomore Ethan Wyckoff, who had a 6.37 earned-run average, pitched 5 2/3 innings of shutout relief, replacing staff ace Brandon Hoalton, who gave up six runs in 3 1/3 innings.

The Dons, defending State champions, advance to play Citrus at 11 a.m. today at Harbor with a berth in next weekend’s State tournament at Cerritos College on the line. Citrus beat Riverside, 7-4, Saturday.

Citrus will have to beat Rancho Santiago (37-10) twice to advance.

The Dons lost three of four games to Riverside (34-10) this season, but Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said the difference Saturday was pitching.

“The last time we played them, we walked 11 or 12 batters. Today we threw strikes, and that was the difference,” Sneddon said. “Ethan has done that for us in the past. He was able to get his curveball over and keep (Riverside) off balance.”

Rancho Santiago scored seven runs in the first three innings, led by Darren Troilo’s first-inning, three-run homer.

But the Tigers chipped away at the lead, scoring two runs in the second, third and fourth innings.

Wyckoff took over for Hoalton in the fifth inning with one out, a runner on third and Rancho Santiago leading, 7-6.

Wyckoff kept the lead, getting Rusty McNamara to ground out to Corey Doll at shortstop and then getting Dennis Konrady to pop out to Doll.

“I just came in trying to throw strikes,” Wyckoff said. “They just got some timely hitting earlier in the game.”

Rancho Santiago followed by scoring a run in the fifth inning and two runs in the sixth and seventh, building a 12-6 lead.

“We’ve been scoring more runs lately,” Sneddon said. “I think we’re starting to get into a groove offensively, and that can be especially good when other teams have to start using more of their pitching staff.”

Darryle Ward and Doll each had three hits, and Troilo had five runs batted in.