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Pinal’s Walk-Off Home Run Leads the Vikings Past Irvine Valley

Pinal smashed a homer in the bottom of the ninth to take home the walk-off win for the Vikings! (Photo by John Fajardo)
Pinal smashed a homer in the bottom of the ninth to take home the walk-off win for the Vikings! (Photo by John Fajardo)

The No.11 Long Beach City College baseball team defeated the Irvine Valley College Lasers 8-6 with a walk-off home run from freshman second baseman Matthew Pinal. With the win, the Vikings advance to 6-1 overall.

Freshman Mitchell Knight (2-0) earned his second win on the hill with only allowing the Lasers to one run on one hit in three innings of work, while striking out three.

The Vikings were first on the board with an RBI single from freshman left fielder Bryan Sanders in the bottom of the third to bring in sophomore right fielder Jake Creamer.

In the top of the fifth, the Lasers tied the game 1-1, and then hit a grand slam to take the 5-1 lead over the Vikings.

The Vikings came back in the bottom of the fifth two RBI single  from sophomore first baseman Zach Rivas to score in sophomore short stop David Rivera and sophomore center fielder Carter White to start closing in on the Lasers 5-3.

Freshman catcher Diego Altamirano had an RBI double to center field in the seventh inning and then in the bottom of the eighth, Sanders smashed a two RBI single to score in freshman third baseman Alex Seguine and sophomore pinch runner Danny Gill to take back the 6-5 lead Irvine Valley.

The Lasers then scored on a balk in the top of the ninth to tie the game and push the Vikings into the bottom of the ninth.

Altamirano was first on base for the Vikings with a walk, and then Pinal homered to right field and hit the scoreboard for the 8-6 walk-off home run win.

The Vikings will return to the field on Friday, Feb. 7 at Chaffey College at 2 p.m.