OCC Men Stay Close in Swim Championships

Gus Fowler won the 500 freestyle in 4 minutes 46.52 seconds to help Orange Coast finish six points behind leader Grossmont after the first day of the Orange Empire Conference Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships Thursday at Saddleback College.

The Pirates have 219 points. Riverside is in third (205) and Saddleback is in fourth (136).

In the women’s championships, Orange Coast is tied with Riverside for first place with 183 points each. Saddleback is in third with 139 points. Lisa Velez won the 100 individual medley for the Pirates in 1:02.50.

In the South Coast Conference Swimming Championships:

Vicha Ratanachote of Golden West set a South Coast Conference record in the 500 freestyle (4:30.79) as the Rustlers took a commanding 304-point lead after the first day of the three-day meet. Cerritos is in second (183) and Mt. San Antonio is in third (129).

Felix Sutanto also set a record for Golden West, going 1:52.09 in the 200 individual medley. Freshman Aaron Fitterer won the 50 freestyle (21.32) for the Rustlers.

In the women’s events, Golden West (197) leads El Camino (177).

In Orange Empire Conference baseball:

Riverside 5, Cypress 4--Jaeme Leal hit a home run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to give Riverside (30-9, 14-6) a one-run lead. Cody Trask retired the final 10 Cypress batters he faced and improved his record to 10-3. Trask had seven strikeouts.

Brandon Pack had a double, home run and three RBIs for Cypress (20-19, 10-11).

Saddleback 7, Fullerton 6--With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, Fullerton pitcher Jim Pickel, in relief hit Denny Seybert on his first pitch to force in Mike Timanus with the winning run.

Saddleback (28-9, 14-7) led 6-5, when Fullerton (18-18-1, 7-13) tied it up in the ninth on an RBI single by Brandon Carter.