The Long Beach City College baseball team opened the 2014 season with a tough 4-3 non-conference loss to visiting Grossmont College on Saturday at Joe Hicks Memorial Field.
The Vikings had numerous opportunities to blow the game open after collecting eight hits and drawing nine walks. Instead, LBCC left 13 runners on base in the narrow loss. Long Beach had at least one runner on base in each inning, but couldn't come up with the big hit when it needed it most.
"It's tough to win when you leave 13 runners on base," said head coach Casey Crook, now in his 21st season at LBCC. "Overall, I thought our guys had some great at bats. We just couldn't come through in the clutch."
Both teams got on the scoreboard early with two runs in the first inning.
Grossmont put together a two-out rally to open the scoring. With the bases loaded, Doug Brannvall smoked a single off the glove of LBCC first baseman Tanner Levine (Millikan HS) to bring home Kacy Smith. But an ill-advised throw by Levine allowed Stephen Haviar to score and give the Griffins a 2-0 lead.
But the Vikings rallied to tie it up in the bottom of the frame. Michael Thomas (St. John Bosco HS) laced a lead-off double down the left-field line followed by a walk by Julian Griego (Poly HS). Daniel Pitts (Quartz Hill HS) then advanced the pair with a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Levine hit a sacrifice fly to left field that was dropped by Romello Carbuccia. Thomas and Griego both scored to pull the Vikings even.
Just like Long Beach, Grossmont also had trouble scoring during the contest. The Griffins left 11 runners on base and left the bases loaded in the fourth and eighth innings.
But Grossmont pulled ahead for good in the seventh. A leadoff walk of Javier Gonzalez by LBCC relief pitcher Sean Hale (Marina HS) would lead to the go-ahead run. After a sac bunt and passed ball, Nico Maida lined a one-out single to drive in Gonzalez. Grossmont added another much-needed insurance run in the top of the eighth off Michael Ostrea (Kennedy HS) to extend its lead.
LBCC's best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the eighth. Trailing 4-2, the Vikings loaded the bases with no outs after Justin Davis hit a lead-off pinch-hit double, Pernell Roberts Jr. smacked a single, and Michael Thomas walked.
After a strikeout, Pitts hit a sacrifice fly to right that drove in Davis, but Thomas was called out on a controversial ruling at second base trying to advance from first to end the inning.
LBCC got an excellent starting pitching performance from Nick Wood (St. John Bosco HS). He scattered five hits over six innings, allowed two runs (one earned), and struck out four in the no decision.
Grossmont's Neil Lang matched him, as he picked up the win by tossing six innings and allowing two runs (one earned) with five strikeouts. Brannvall earned the save as he closed out the win in the ninth.
Nolan Flashman (University HS) had a pair of hits, going 2 for 4 with a double and two stolen bases, to lead the LBCC offense. Thomas also reached base four times, going 1 for 2 with three walks and a double.
Smith (2 for 3, one run) and Branvall (2 for 5, RBI) lead Grossmont (2-0) at the plate.
Long Beach returns to action on Tuesday (Feb. 4) when it travels to nearby Cypress College for a 2 p.m. non-conference game.