Pirates return to win column with 8-3 win over Cougars
COSTA MESA -- After an extended off-season break, the "W" flag is back in its rightful place for the Orange Coast College baseball team following Tuesday's 8-3 nonconference win over visiting College of the Canyons.
The Pirates (5-2) broke open a 1-0 game with a five-run fifth inning on five hits and two crucial Cougar errors.
Greg Espinosa led off the fifth with a single to center and tried to steal second base, but pitcher Ryan Paramo (0-1) guessed right and threw to first. However the throw sailed over the shortstop's head, allowing Espinosa to reach second base.
Ricky Navarro -- who finished the game with three hits, two runs and three RBI -- cashed in Espinosa with an RBI-double to left, making it 2-0.
Danny Jimenez (3-for-5, one run, one RBI) followed up with an RBI-single to center, scoring Navarro to make it 3-0.
A hit-by-pitch by Austin Saenz put two runners on base and Manny Argomaniz followed with a single to left, which was misplayed into two runs for the Pirates to make it 5-0.
Cody Bruder capped off the scoring with an RBI-double down the left-field line to score Argomaniz with the sixth run of the game.
Canyons trimmed the deficit in half with a three-run sixth before Coast added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.
A pair of Canyons errors put two runners on to start the inning and Navarro cashed in both runners with a two-run single to left, scoring Cooper Mickelson and Espinosa (2-for-3, two runs).
OCC starter Jacob Hill (1-1) got out of some early jams and pitched five strong innings to collect the win. He allowed no runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts, using a pair of double plays to escape damage.
David Wilson threw 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for OCC before Joe Reta struck out two in a quiet ninth inning of work.
The Pirates will continue their long week of baseball -- five games in five days -- on Wednesday at Palomar, beginning at 2 p.m. Following that, Coast will return home and open up a three-game series with College of the Desert, beginning on Thursday at 2 p.m.
