Baseball: LBCC bats erupt for 20 runs, 15 hits in win at L.A. Mission; Crook at 511 career victories

Long Beach City College used an offensive explosion to snap a three-game losing streak as the Vikings pounded out season highs of 20 runs and 15 hits in a 20-10 non-conference win at Los Angeles Mission College on Tuesday.

The victory improved Long Beach to 2-3 overall and gives head coach Casey Crook 511 career wins. He needs just three more to surpass LBCC all-time leader Joe Hicks with 513.

LBCC actually trailed early and was down 4-3 before going ahead for good with five runs in the fourth inning. The Vikings blew the game open with a seven-run fifth and added three runs in the seventh and two final runs in the eighth.

L.A. Mission committed seven errors in the ball game to aid the Vikings in the win. In the big fifth inning, Long Beach took advantage of four walks, two hit batters, a passed ball, an error, and just one hit to score seven runs.

Sophomore Tai Tiedemann (Poly HS) continued his hot start to the season as he went 4 for 5 to increase his average to .500 after five games. Tiedemann also scored four runs and had 3 RBI to lead the Vikings at the plate.

Freshman Tristin Chamberlain (Millikan HS) also had his best game of the early season, going 3 for 4 with four runs, 2 RBI and a triple. Freshman Vincent Byrd II (Sacramento, CA/El Camino HS) went 2 for 2 with 2 RBI, freshman Gavin Windes (St. John Bosco HS) smacked a two-run double, and freshman Gary Dominguez (Corona Centennial HS) also drove in a pair of runs.

Sophomore Evan May (Oxford Academy) earned the win in relief despite allowing five earned runs and six hits over five innings. Freshmen Kyle Castillo (Seattle, WA/Chief Sealth HS) and Jay Rohman (Wilson HS) closed out the victory with scoreless innings of relief.

Long Beach is back in action on Thursday (Feb. 11) when the Vikings travel to Grossmont College for a 2 p.m. non-conference game.