Pope’s First Homer Helps OCC Beat Mt. San Antonio

Matt Pope hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning Sunday to lift host Orange Coast to an 8-6 victory over Mt. San Antonio in the first round of the Southern California baseball playoffs.

Pope’s homer, his first in two seasons at OCC, helped the Pirates win the best-of-three series and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

Mt. San Antonio won the first game Sunday, 12-7, to tie the series, 1-1. The Mounties scored five times in the second inning of the second game to lead, 5-1, but OCC tied it, 6-6, early in the eighth on a double by Brian Wahlbrink.

OCC’s second-round games will be at Cypress.

In Friday’s games at Cypress: OCC plays Cypress and Cerritos plays Long Beach. In Friday’s games at Cuesta: Santa Ana plays Cuesta and Saddleback plays Palomar. Game times will be determined today.

In other games:

Cypress 9, Hancock 4--Jake Moon didn’t give up a hit and had five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for host Cypress (32-12-1). Adam Spiker had two doubles for the Chargers.

Saddleback 8, Grossmont 1--Jason Marian hit a three-run home run in the eighth to give Saddleback a 5-1 lead. Marian had scored the go-ahead run an inning earlier on a sacrifice fly by Jimmy Luster.

Paul Wurts (4-0) pitched his first complete game of the season, a six-hitter for Saddleback (32-13).

Santa Ana 7, Cerro Coso 6--Joe Urban singled home Danny Trujillo from second with two outs in the eighth to give Santa Ana (28-17) a 7-6 lead.

Santa Ana reliever Clint Patton got the final out of the eighth with a runner on third, then didn’t allow a run in the ninth for the victory. Josh Shaffer had three hits and three RBIs and Richard Lane had three hits and drove in two runs for Santa Ana.