Cypress Closes Out the Regular Season with a Win
Ornelas drove in the winning run Friday. |
May 5, 2006
Final Stats
Mission Viejo, Calif. - Cypress wanted to end their regular season on a high note but they found themselves in a back and forth game with Saddleback Friday. The Chargers were able to pull out two runs in the seventh to break a tie for the 6-4 victory. This ends the Chargers’ regular season at 35-8 and 20-4 in conference with the conference championship. Freshman outfielder Ben Ornelas doubled in the seventh to drive in the game winning run for Cypress.
Saddleback jumped ahead early with two runs in the first to force Cypress to play catch up. In the second, freshman third baseman Brandon Laird walked to reach first. Sophomore first baseman Blaine Wilson followed with another walk moving Laird to second. Freshman catcher Bubba Ruddy singled to score Laird cutting the Gaucho lead to 2-1.
Cypress had another opportunity to score in the third. Freshman outfielder Kenny Lusk was hit by a pitch to reach first and then second on a stolen base. Sophomore designated hitter Garrett Young singled to right to advance Lusk to third. Sophomore outfielder Mike Evola grounded out but scored Lusk to tie the game at 2.
The Chargers took advantage of the momentum for two more runs in the fifth. Young got his second hit of the game singling up the middle and then advancing to second on a passed ball. Sophomore shortstop Taylor Green was hit by a pitch to reach base. Sophomore outfielder Mike Vass singled to score Young and move Green to second. Laird singled to score Green for back to back runs giving Cypress the 4-2 lead.
The Gauchos were not going to give it up that easily. Saddleback caught up in the sixth with two runs knotting the game at 4. Young walked to reach first before Ornelas doubled to score Young giving Cypress the lead. The Chargers were not done as Green drove in a solo homerun, his seventh of the year for the 6-4 Cypress lead. Sophomore right-hander Wes Etheridge closed out the last 3.2 innings allowing no earned runs and just one hit to keep the Gauchos from making another comeback. Etheridge improved his record to 5-1 this season.
This was head coach Scott Pickler’s 699th win. If Cypress can get one more, victory this year, Pickler would be one of just six other California Community College Coaches to ever reach 700 victories and just one of two active coaches to reach 700. Cypress will await the regional pairings to prepare their next opponent. Regional playoffs start Saturday.
