Baseball: Late-game rally falls short, Vikings fall to Orange Coast in 10 innings

The Long Beach City College baseball team made a late-game comeback but couldn't complete the upset win as the Vikings lost 5-3 in 10 innings to visiting Orange Coast College on Thursday at Joe Hicks Memorial Field.

The non-conference loss dropped LBCC to 1-2 overall while Orange Coast, ranked No. 3 in Southern California, improved to 4-1.

Trailing 3-0, Long Beach rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh and tied the game with a run in the eighth.

In the seventh, back-to-back two-out singles by freshmen Ray Patchen and Daniel Pitts got the rally started. After freshman Robert Yates walked, sophomore Jimmy Gosano (pictured) delivered with a clutch two-run single off Pirates' reliever Evan Porcello to cut OCC's lead to 3-2.

With one out in the eighth, sophomore Jaime Valle was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, and came in to score on a single up the middle by freshman Henry Severson. Severson advanced to second base on the throw to the plate, but with one out the Vikings couldn't drive him in for the go-ahead run.

Long Beach once again had the potential winning run on second base with one out in the ninth after Pitts singled and went to second after a sacrifice bunt by freshman Tyler Leidholdt. But Gosano flied out to center field, and freshman Matt Treece ended the inning after grounding out to third.

A leadoff error by LBCC freshman relief pitcher Michael Ostrea led to the Pirates' winning runs in the top of the 10th. Danny Jimenez led off the inning by reaching base after Ostrea missed the bag at first covering on a throw from freshman Nolan Flashman.

With one out, Austin Saenz singled to right before Manny Argomaniz flew out to right for the second out. But Anthony Virgen made the error costly when he smoked a 3-2 pitch from Ostrea off the wall in left for a two-run double.

The Vikings had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the 10th but once again couldn't capitalize.

Ostrea (0-1) took the loss for Long Beach. He allowed two unearned runs and four hits over the final three innings. Sophomore starter David Aispuro pitched well despite a no-decision. After giving up a pair of two-out runs in the first, he settled down to toss five innings and allowed four hits. He struck out four and walked three.

Flashman and Pitts both had two hits for the Vikings.

David Longville earned the win in relief for Orange Coast. He scattered two hits over the final 2 2/3 innings and struck out one. Starter Dallas Draviczki went 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and three hits. Saenz went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI and Jimenez was 2 for 5 with two runs.

Long Beach and Orange Coast continue their three-game series on Saturday (Feb. 9) in Costa Mesa at 12 p.m.

Photo by Chris Ruiz