Orange Coast needs extra innings to advance

Orange Coast needs extra innings to advance
May 27, 2018

FRESNO - At different times during their CCCAA State Baseball Championship elimination game, both Mt. San Antonio College and Orange Coast College played with their backs against the wall and facing the final out of their season.

After the Mounties scored four times in the bottom of the ninth inning to stave off elimination, the Pirates exploded for six runs in the top of the 12th inning for a 10-4 win and will play in the late game on Sunday.

Trailing 4-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mounties saw Ryon Knowles draw a walk, followed by Chris Sandberg getting hit by a pitch against relief pitcher Gus Culpo. With two outs, Elijah Zaragoza drew a walk to load the bases. Anthony Walters then drew a full count before lacing a bases-clearing double to get the game at 4-3. The state's leading hitter, Elijah Greene was then intentionally walked, which set the stage for Brandon Bradshaw, who tied the game with a base hit.

After both teams failed to score in the 10th and 11th innings, the Pirates came out swinging in the top of the 12th inning. Chris Ceballos led off with a single, with Domenic Donato following with a double. A Mt. SAC pitching change was met with an RBI single from pinch-hitter Ulises Caballero, with Murphy Stehly extending the lead to 6-4 with a run-scoring single. Landon Silver made it 8-4 with a two-run single, and when the dust settled, Orange Coast had a 10-4 lead and moved on to face the loser of the San Joaquin Delta-Sacramento City game.

  • Orange Coast head coach John Altobelli was ejected from the game for arguing a pick-off call in the 10th inning. 
  • Orange Coast catcher Chris Ceballos extended his hitting streak to 12 games
  • Orange Coast starting pitcher Michael Giacone tossed seven shutout innings
  • Mt. San Antonio's Elijah Greene went hitless for just the sixth time all season (0-for-4, 2 walks)
  • Mt. San Antonio starting pitcher Jacob Kampen, who tossed a complete game to send the Mounties to the CCCAA State Championships, lasted six innings and allowed three runs