Gauchos blast Lasers 12-1

The Saddleback baseball team completed a three-game sweep of inter-district rival Irvine Valley College on Thursday, 12-1, in Irvine.  With the win, the Gauchos remain one game out of first place in conference play.

Saddleback jumped on Irvine Valley early, scoring four runs in the opening inning and two more in the second for a 6-0 lead.  It was more than enough for the pitching staff that is currently second in the state with a team ERA of 2.01. 

Saddleback took advantage of three walks, a wild pitch and a balk in jumping out to a big lead in the opening frame.  With the bases loaded and no outs, Brandon Heinrich singled home Kent Burckle for the opening run of the game.  Two batters later, Ryan Fitzpatrick singled home both Jared Donahoe and Heinrich, and the Gauchos were up 4-0.

Burckle was in the thick of things again in the second when he doubled down the right field line to score Andrew Wilson, who led off the inning with a single.  Donahoe later singled home Burckle and the Gauchos were up 6-0 before the locals had even bought their popcorn.

Saddleback tacked on four more runs in the sixth inning, and again it was Burckle, Donahoe and Heinrich as the catalysts.  Burckle singled home Wilson, Donahoe tripled in two more and Heinrich knocked in Donahoe with the final run of the inning.  The threesome was 7-for-11 on the afternoon with seven RBI.

Jackson Rees started on the mound for Saddleback and pitched five solid innings.  Rees allowed one earned run while striking out four in improving to 3-1 on the season.  He gave way to four different pitchers that worked one inning apiece.  Logan Escudero, Stephen Young, Cameron Aufderheide and Eric Neeley allowed no hits while walking two as Irvine Valley finished the day with just four hits.

Saddleback (15-3, 5-1) is tied for second place in the Orange Empire Conference with Cypress College, one game back of Fullerton College in the standings.  The Gauchos now have the weekend off before an annual three-day tour of the Central Valley.  The Gauchos open up play at Reedley College on Tuesday before heading to College of the Sequoias on Wednesday and Bakersfield College on Thursday.  The first pitch at Reedley is scheduled for 3:00 PM.