Gauchos surge past Chargers for OEC lead

The Saddleback baseball team came from behind for a 4-1 win over Cypress College on Saturday afternoon at Cypress.  With the win, the Gauchos are now tied for first place in the Orange Empire Conference.

Saddleback trailed throughout most of the game in a pitcher's duel, heading into the top of the ninth inning on the losing end of a 1-0 score.  The Gauchos struck for four runs on five hits, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

Andrew Wilson led off the ninth inning with a double to right field and was sacrificed to third base by Ryan Fitzpatrick to put the tying run at third base with one out in the inning.  Robbie Biehl delivered with a single to left field, tying the game at 1-1 and energizing an offense that had been stagnant for most of the day.

It was the first of three straight hits by Saddleback as Erik Voller followed with a single before Kyle Candalla (pictured) followed with a tiebreaking single to left field, scoring Biehl and giving the Gauchos a lead they would never relinquish.  Three batters later with the bases loaded, Jared Donahoe broke the game open with a single to right field, driving in both Candalla and Voller as Saddleback grabbed a 4-1 lead.

Daniel Endsley then entered the game for Saddleback to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning and preserve the win.  Endsley gave up one hit but slammed the door shut for his third save of the season.  It was a perfect ending to a great game by the pitching staff, which gave up just six hits all afternoon. 

The win puts Saddleback (19-5, 7-2) in a tie for first place in conference play after Fullerton dropped it second straight game to Orange Coast College (3-4) on Saturday. 

The Gauchos will open a three-game series with Santa Ana College (16-8, 3-6) on Tuesday in Santa Ana.  The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM.