Long Beach can’t hold late lead, fall 5-1 to Orange Coast

Long Beach City College banged out 10 hits but managed just one run in a 5-1 non-conference loss to visiting Orange Coast College on Thursday at Joe Hicks Memorial Field. The Vikings couldn't hold a 1-0 lead after seven innings and fell to 3-6 on the season.

Sophomore starting pitcher Manuel Barragan (Wilson HS) was cruising through seven innings, holding the Pirates' offense scoreless. But a leadoff single by OCC's Grant Davis in the top of the eighth followed by a RBI double by Cody Nulph tied the game. Two batters later, Tommy Bell singled to left to drive in Nulph with the go-ahead run and chase Barragan from the game.

Orange Coast (10-2) added three more runs in the top of the ninth off sophomore Jake Angus to put the game out of reach for the Vikings.

Barragan fell to 2-1 on the season despite allowing just the two runs on eight hits over 7 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one. Barragan induced a pair of double plays and stranded a pair of OCC runners in the seventh.

Orange Coast starter David Hill (5-0) put together an impressive outing for the win. He struck out 14 batters but gave up all 10 LBCC hits.

Long Beach scored the first earned run of the season off Hill in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Nolan Flashman (University HS) smacked a one-out triple to the left-field gap and promptly came in to score on a RBI single by sophomore Ryan Dickison (Pacifica HS).

Dickison went 4 for 4 to lead the Vikings at the plate while Flashman was 2 for 4.

Chris Iriart (3 for 5) had three hits for OCC and Bell drove in a pair going 2 for 4.

The two teams conclude a three-game series on Saturday (Feb 22) at 12 pm back at Orange Coast.