Rancho Santiago’s Ward Stops Fullerton, 9-1

Matt Ward turned in his best performance of the season, a six-hitter, as Rancho Santiago beat host Fullerton, 9-1, in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game Thursday.

Ward, a freshman left-hander, never faced more than five batters in an inning and had six strikeouts and two walks. Ward (4-1) also benefited from some impressive defensive plays, especially by center fielder Joe Secoda.

Secoda raced far to his right to make a diving catch in the sixth to save a run when Rancho Santiago was ahead, 3-1. Secoda also started the seventh by running in and making another sliding catch.

It was the first complete game of the season for Ward, who has split time between starting and relieving and has appeared in 14 games.

“Ward picked us up big time,” Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said. “He definitely wanted these guys.”

It was the fourth victory in a row by Rancho Santiago (21-6, 8-5) against the top teams in the conference. Rancho Santiago got back in the title race by sweeping two from first-place Cypress (22-8, 10-4) last week.

Ryan Fullerton had a two-run home run in the first inning and Erik Sobek had a run-scoring single in the third.

Fullerton starter Dan Billingsley (2-3) then shut out Rancho Santiago for the next four innings, but his teammates could muster only a fourth-inning run on a two-out single by Marc Anspach.

Scott Glasser had a sacrifice fly in the eighth and Kevin Duck had a two-run single during a five-run ninth for Rancho Santiago.

Fullerton is 16-9, 7-7, and has lost seven of its last nine conference games.