Patient Play Leads to Third-Straight Win

Following their first series sweep of the season, the Riverside City College baseball team played host to the Palomar College Comets in non-conference action on Tuesday under the lights. Despite recording a lowly four hits, a patient approach at the dish and on the mound led the Tigers to a 5-1 victory.

Riverside drew eight walks and four hit by pitches leading to multiple scoring opportunities. Four separate Tigers recorded a single with two of the singles driving in runs. Freshman right fielder Matthew Darr was responsible for the first RBI knock as he drove home sophomore center fielder Dylan Morace in the bottom of the first inning for the first run of the game.

Palomar tied the game up in the top of the third inning via a passed ball, but Riverside roared back to plate four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Freshman second baseman Gabino Gutierrez got the rally started by wearing a pitch and promptly advanced to second on a single from freshman shortstop Gunner Antillion. After the Tigers loaded the bases compliments of a walk drawn by freshman right fielder Alphonzo Mancinas, Gutierrez trotted home on a passed ball during Morace's at-bat.

Freshman first baseman Stewart Slessor Jr. followed with a bloop single to left field, plating Antillion, for the second RBI knock of the game (see video below). Sophomore catcher Steve Ramirez followed by reaching first on a hit-by-pitch, forcing home Mancinas. Darr capped the inning with a sacrifice ground out to the shortstop leading to a 5-1 win.

(Video by Bryan Wilson, RCC Athletics Video Production)

Sophomore right-hander Ethan Sachs (2-1) was lights out in his efforts as the third inning run was the only run he would allow. He emphasized his dominance by retiring the side in the top of the fifth inning with two punch-outs and a ground out leding to his second win. 

Freshman Dustin Comeau lifted Sachs in the seventh and pitched a scorelesst wo thirds of an inning, while sophomore Matthew Henry closed out the game with two innings of scoreless baseball.

Riverside (6-2) will continue action at home on Wednesday, February 12 against the San Bernardino Valley College Wolverines at 5 p.m.