Baseball Wins Two in a Row to Start Busy Week

MSJC's Alex Banuelos pitched four strong innings on Wednesday leading the Eagle baseball team to a 5-4 win over San Diego City.  (DeeAnn Bradley/MSJC)
MSJC's Alex Banuelos pitched four strong innings on Wednesday leading the Eagle baseball team to a 5-4 win over San Diego City. (DeeAnn Bradley/MSJC)

The MSJC baseball team picked up two wins to start their week as they defeated Citrus College on Tuesday and San Diego City on Wednesday.

The Eagles used a big 5th inning on Tuesday as they defeated Citrus on the road 5-3.  MSJC trailed 2-0 in the game until the 5th when the offense put 5 runs on the board.  John Huelskamp put MSJC on the board with a two run single to right field that scored Aaron Harper and Gabriel Ponce De Leon.  Later in the inning Fabian Correa doubled to right center with the bases loaded chasing home all three runners to give the Eagles a 5-2 advantage.  Solid relief pitching from Richard Teran, Alonzo Diaz, and Travis Shaff-Brown kept the Owls in check the rest of the way surrendering just one run in six innings of work.  Teran earned the victory and Schaff-Brown had his first save of the season.  Correa finished the day 2 for 3 at the plate with his 3 runs batted in.

On Wednesday it was some late inning baserunning that gave the Eagles a 5-4 home win over San Diego City.  Both teams scored single runs in the 2nd and 3rd innings as the game was tied through three.  The Knights would retake the lead in the fifth with a single run, before MSJC once again forged into a tie with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth.  After City had retaken the lead yet again in the 7th 4-3, MSJC took advantage of a couple Knights miscues in the 8th to score twice on double or delayed steal situations with runners on first and third.  Alex Banuelos threw four strong innings in relief of Gilbert Jaurez and Koba Kobayashi to earn the win.  Banuelos allowed just three hits and one run while striking out three.  Ajay Parcero had two hits to lead the Eagle offense.

The Eagles who are now 4-8 on the season continue their busy week with road games on both Friday and Saturday.  Friday MSJC travels to Riverside, before opening Inland Empire Athletic Conference play at Chaffey on Saturday.