Carter’s Home Run Helps Fullerton Win

Brandon Carter hit his third home run of the year and Brian Logan and Dan Gusman each had RBI singles in a four-run seventh inning to lead Fullerton to an 8-6 victory over Orange Coast in an Orange Empire Conference game at OCC on Thursday.

Orange Coast (10-12, 3-5), which trailed, 8-3, in the sixth inning, rallied with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and one in the ninth, cutting the lead to 8-6. The Pirates loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but Fullerton closer Keith Jones earned his third save of the year by getting John Lukin to fly out. Fullerton improved to 14-9, 2-6.

In other Orange Empire Conference games:

Cypress 16, Saddleback 5--Freshman Jim Kirkland, in his second start of the season, earned his first decision pitching 5 2/3 innings, striking out three, giving up only three hits and one run for Cypress (18-6, 4-4).

Matt Roman went three for three, with two doubles, two walks and scored all five times he was on base for Cypress.

Rancho Santiago 8, Golden West 1--Charlie Marino was four for five with a triple and three runs scored for Rancho Santiago (21-1-1, 8-0). Matt Ward (5-0) pitched his second consecutive complete game, this time striking out four while giving up six hits for the Dons. Jared de La Chica and Ken Sundstrom each went two for four for Golden West (9-13, 1-7).

In Orange Empire Conference women’s tennis:

Golden West 6, Irvine Valley 3--Jill Riley of Irvine Valley (5-5, 5-3) defeated Diane Williams, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, in a three-hour match. Kathy Bennett won in singles, 6-0, 6-1, for Golden West.

Saddleback 9, Cypress 0--Missy Hosoi defeated Cypress’s Mai Tran, 6-0, 6-0, in a victory for Saddleback. Sister Marie Hosoi also won, defeating Jessica Lubman, 6-1, 6-0.