Gauchos ride pitching in win

The Saddleback baseball team improved to 5-1 with a 7-2 win against Los Angeles Harbor College on Friday at Doug Fritz Field.  The Gaucho pitching staff was stellar throughout.

Saddleback received a great performance from the trio of Curren Larson, Connor Wilford and Ethan Holt in winning its fifth game in six starts.  Larson started and went six innings in picking up his first win of the season.  He finished with five strikeouts before giving way to a bullpen that allowed just one hit while striking out five batters over the final three innings.  Holt pitched the final two innings, striking out four while not giving up a hit. 

Saddleback took a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the third inning, taking advantage of some wildness from the LA Harbor pitching staff.  The Seahawks walked three Gauchos in the inning and hit a batter while Nation Wood had a two-run single and Antonio Vultaggio picked up an RBI when hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. 

Later in the fifth inning and leading 3-2, Saddleback tacked on three more runs in taking a 6-2 lead.  Izaiah Faz opened the scoring with a single to center field to score Wood, who had led off the inning with a double.  The final run of the inning came on a single from Tyler Chaffee to score Joseph Canty.  It was Chaffee's third hit of the night as he finished 3-for-4 on the night. 

Saddleback outhit Los Angeles Harbor 11-3 for the game.  In addition to Chaffee, Nation Wood, Izaiah Faz and Joseph Canty all had two hits on the night.

As good as the offense was, however, it was the pitching staff that led the way on Friday night.  Gaucho pitchers struck out 10 Seahawks hitter while surrendering only three hits and one walk in a game that lasted just 2:38. 

Saddleback is now 5-1 to start the season.  The Gauchos will play at home on Tuesday when they host Southwestern College at 2:00 PM.  The Gauchos will also host Cuesta College next week on Thursday thru Saturday.