Cypress Comes Out Victorious after a Back and Forth Battle with OCC
Green blasted a 3 run homer Saturday. |
March 25, 2006
Final Stats
Cypress, Calif. - The game started slow but quickly picked up pace in an entertaining skirmish between Cypress and Orange Coast. Cypress came up with 8 runs in their last two innings at bat to win 9-6. Sophomore shortstop Taylor Green only had one hit on the day but made it count as he belted his fourth homerun of the season to drive in three runs in the seventh.
The game was scoreless going into the top of the fourth until the Pirates drove in two runs to take the 2-0 lead. Cypress could not get on the board until the bottom of the fifth when sophomore third baseman Joel Weeks reached home on a wild pitch to cut the OCC lead to one. OCC answered with another run in the sixth to regain their 2 run lead 3-1.
Cypress waited until the seventh to heat up with 5 runs in the inning. Sophomore designated hitter Matt Miller led off with a double and sophomore outfielder Mike Vass reached base after being hit by a pitch. The bases runners were set for Taylor Green’s homerun to drive in himself, Vass and Miller to take the lead 4-3. Miller paced the Chargers going 3 for 4 including 2 doubles. Sophomore Garret Green was next to score as he reached base on a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, reached third on a passed ball, and then finally reached home on a balk. Freshman first baseman Brandon Laird was the next batter reaching first on an error, stole second, and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. With Laird in scoring position, sophomore outfielder Blaine Wilson singled to third so Laird could score. The Chargers ended the seventh inning with a 6-3 lead.
Orange Coast would not be knocked out scoring tying the game in the eighth inning at 6 but it was not enough as the Charger bats were warm from their 5 run performance in the seventh. Weeks doubled with two men on to score Vass and pinch runner Justin Ariki. Garret Green hit a sacrifice fly to score Weeks for the ninth and final run for the Chargers. Relief pitcher Wes Etheridge pitched himself out of a jam in the ninth with two men on base and only one out by retiring the last two batters to earn the win to improve his record to 3-0. Sophomore left-hander Nick Rhodes started the game pitching 6 innings and striking out 7.
The Chargers better their record to 22-5 and maintain their first place standing in conference with a record of 9-1. Cypress has an immediate rematch with OCC Tuesday at OCC. Orange Coast is now 16-10 and 5 games behind the Chargers at 4-6 in conference. The teams will face off at OCC Tuesday at 2:00 pm.
