Bobcats pick up 10th win

The Saddleback baseball team picked up its 10^th win of the season with a 5-3 victory at Southwestern College on Thursday in Chula Vista.  It was the first of four straight road games for the Bobcats before heading into Orange Empire Conference play.

Saddleback struck early when they scored three times in the top half of the second inning for a 3-0 advantage.  The Bobcats had three hits and a walk in the inning, also taking advantage of a Southwestern miscue in the field.  Matthew Deutsch opened the scoring when he singled home both Rodrigo Barajas and Robert Gray for a 2-0 lead.  Later in the inning Hayden Carlson singled home Jacob Beauchaine with the third run of the inning.

Southwestern bounced back, scoring three of their own in the bottom half of the inning.  The Jaguars did it all with two outs as they rapped out four hits with a walk to chase starter Damon Anderson Wolf from the game.

The game remained even until the sixth inning when Saddleback struck for what would eventually be the game-winning run.  Deutsch again provided the spark when he doubled home Gray, who had singled earlier in the inning. 

Saddleback added an insurance run in the top half of the eighth inning when Beauchaine doubled home Barajas for a 5-3 cushion.

Sammy Cova took over on the mound for Saddleback in the third inning and pitched all the way into the eighth inning before giving way to Jace Barajas.  Cova (2-2) looked sharp, striking out six Jaguars while allowing three hits in 5.1 innings of work in picking up the win.  Barajas worked the final 1.2 innings in picking up his second save of the season.  All five outs recorded by Barajas were by way of strikeouts as the Bobcat staff finished with 13 for the game.

Deutsch finished 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead the offense.  Beauchaine also finished with a pair of hits in the game.  

Saddleback is now 10-3 to start the season.  The Bobcats will head to Grossmont College on Friday for a 1:00 PM start against the Griffins.