Bobcats to play for OEC title

Don't look now, but the Saddleback baseball team will play for the Orange Empire Conference (OEC) title next week after sweeping past Irvine Valley College on Saturday in Irvine.  The Bobcats will square off with Riverside City College in a three-game series, needing to win two games for a piece of the OEC title.

First things first, Saddleback had to take care of business on Saturday against inter-district rival Irvine Valley, who was still looking for their first win in OEC play. The Bobcats never flinched, cruising to an 8-4 win. 

Saddleback and Irvine Valley were tied at 2-2 until the top half of the fifth inning when the Bobcats exploded for six runs.  Saddleback sent 10 batters to the plate while taking advantage of some wildness from the Laser pitching staff.  Saddleback had hits from Makani Tanaka, Michael Davinni, Zachary Schwartzberg and Jack Collins in the inning while building an 8-2 lead.  IVC pitchers helped the cause with two walks and a hit batsman. 

Irvine Valley closed with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the sixth inning to narrow the lead to 8-4, but could get no closer.

Saddleback started Trevor Eby (pictured) on the mound and he pitched through the sixth inning to improve to 4-1 on the season.  Dylan Blakey, Ryan Cullinane and Tyler Byrns all pitched an inning of relief in preserving the win.

Saddleback is now 27-9 overall and 13-5 in Orange Empire Conference play.  The Bobcats trail Riverside City College by one game in the OEC standings with three games remaining between the two teams.  Saddleback will host games on Tuesday (2:00 PM) and Friday (1:00 PM).  Riverside City will host the game on Thursday (2:00). 

If Saddleback wins two of the three games against Riverside City College the two teams will share the Orange Empire Conference title.  Should the Bobcats sweep all three games from RCC they would be outright champions.