The Long Beach City College baseball team stepped foot on Joe Hicks Memorial Field for the first game of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Super Regional Playoffs by hosting the Los Angeles Mission College Eagles in the first game of a three-game series on Friday afternoon. The Vikings jumped on the board with five runs in the first three frames and never looked back en route to a game-one victory with the final score reading 5-4.
Long Beach wasted no time etching the first runs on the scoreboard by earning a two-sport in the bottom of the first inning compliments of a two-RBI double in the left-center gap that shot off the barrel of sophomore first baseman Vincent Byrd II (Sacramento, CA).
Long Beach added a trio of runs in the bottom of the third inning with all of them coming with two outs in the inning.
After two quick outs to begin the stanza, sophomore designated hitter Jared Mayeda (Cypress, CA) extended the inning with a single to left-center field, backed by a single through the 5-6 hole from freshman right fielder Zach Martinez (Long Beach, CA). Mayeda came around and touched home two batters later when freshman catcher Robert Barham (Long Beach, CA) dropped a single into center field. Freshman left fielder Ian Konek (Long Beach, CA) mirrored his efforts by notching a single up the middle to plate Martinez, followed by a bloop single to center field from freshman center fielder Val Stammler (Long Beach, CA). Long Beach held a 5-1 edge after the third inning.
Freshman starter Jacob Gregg (Long Beach, CA) started on the bump for the Vikings, but had one of his shakier outings on the season by only lasting three full innings and allowing three runs to cross home.
Long Beach began to utilize a pitcher-by-committee tactic and were able to fend off L.A. Mission highlighted by three solid innings from freshman reliever Angel Delgadillo (Norwalk, CA). He took over for freshman reliever Lorenzo Haycox (Long Beach, CA) midway through the fifth inning.
Delgadillo gave way to freshman closer Chase Ambrose (Long Beach, CA) who promptly slammed the door shut in the eighth and ninth innings by allowing just one hit en route to a 5-4 victory.
Delgadillo earned his second win of the season after not seeing action since mid-April. He improves his record to a flawless 2-0. Ambrose earned his seventh save of the season.
Byrd II had the lone extra base hit that was a two-run double, while Konek produced a 2-for-3 day at the dish with an RBI single. Stammler went 2-for-4 on the day as well.
The Vikings will host the Eagles for game two of CCCAA Super Regional Playoff this Saturday, May 13th at home at 2 p.m.