Down 7-1, Orange Coast Rallies to Beat Riverside

Scott Beerer’s ninth-inning single drove in Josh McCanne from first to give Orange Coast an 8-7 victory over Riverside in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game Tuesday at Orange Coast.

Beerer’s game-winning hit got past diving right fielder Travis Kaats, allowing McCanne to race around the bases and beat the relay home.

Riverside (17-4, 5-3) took a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning, led by second baseman Delwyn Young’s two-run homer in the first and grand slam in the third. Orange Coast (16-5, 5-3) scored once in the fifth, twice in the sixth and three more times in the seventh to tie the game at 7-7.

McCanne led the Pirates with four hits and three runs scored. Beerer was three for five with two runs scored.

In other conference games:

Cypress 6, Fullerton 3--Jeff Tuttle hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to break a 3-3 tie and give Cypress (17-7, 5-4) the win. Jeff Ruziecki also homered for Cypress.

Cypress reliever Tom Zieglowsky struck out Jerry Robertson with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning to preserve the win.

Saddleback 7, Golden West 5--Outfielder Scott Cheo went three for four with three RBIs and third baseman Jon Stephens added two doubles and an RBI for Saddleback.

Santa Ana 8, Irvine Valley 6--After Irvine Valley (6-16, 1-8) scored five runs in the top of the eighth, Santa Ana (17-4, 7-2) broke a 6-6 tie with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a bases loaded walk from Laser pitcher Mike Mattivi and a sacrifice fly from David Fischer.

In Orange Empire Conference softball:

Cypress 8, Orange Coast 0--Kim Martinez went two for five with a double and three RBIs to lead visiting Cypress (10-8, 6-3).

Saddleback 6, Irvine Valley 0--Laura Joiner had two hits and two RBIs and scored two runs, and Jasmine Nelson added two hits to back Angie White’s (1-2) five-hitter for the host Gauchos (5-10, 3-6).

In Orange Empire Conference women’s tennis:

Riverside 6, Fullerton 3--Sara Sheets defeated Riverside’s Regina Bradford, 6-7, 6-3, 7-5, then teamed with Cherie Angeloni for a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 victory in doubles for visiting Fullerton (3-7, 1-5).