L-R: Jeremy Conant, Jessie Garcia, Jose Jimenez, Nick Esparza, Andres Kim, Shane Ogata. Photo courtesy Pasadena City College By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor Nick Esparza is the Lancers’ closer, which usually means he finishes off a PCC lead late. Esparza, though, worked overtime in Friday’s 12-11 victory over visiting Riverside Community College. He went the […]
L-R: Jeremy Conant, Jessie Garcia, Jose Jimenez, Nick Esparza, Andres Kim, Shane Ogata. Photo courtesy Pasadena City College
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
Nick Esparza is the Lancers’ closer, which usually means he finishes off a PCC lead late.
Esparza, though, worked overtime in Friday’s 12-11 victory over visiting Riverside Community College.
He went the final six innings and allowed just one earned run over that time to earn the win.
PCC needs one victory today to advance, and first pitch is at 11 a.m. at Brookside Park.
If Riverside wins the early game, it will force and third and final game approximately 30 minutes after game two’s finish.
RCC got six runs (five earned) off PCC starter Paul McAllister, and two more off Chris Brown in the third inning.
Esparza, though, was able to keep RCC at bay and waited for that torrid PCC offense to take over.
Esparza walked two and struck out eight over his six innings on Friday.
PCC fell behind 6-1 after just an inning and a half, but the Lancers pounded out 18 hits, including Jeremy Conant’s walk-off single that scored Nico Martinez in the ninth inning.
Conant went 3 for 6 with three runs scored and he drove in two more.
Shane Ogata had three hits, including a home run.
Ogata scored twice and drove in three runs.
Andres Kim needed just one run Friday to set a PCC runs record.
Kim had two hits and scored three times.
Jose Jimenez went 3 for 4 with a run and two RBIs.
Jessie Garcia had two hits and drove in two runs.
Alex Briggs went 1 for 4 with a double.
John Bicos doubled, scored twice and drove in one run.
Patrick Vizcaino had a huge game for RCC.
Vizcaino went 3 for 6 with two runs scored and five RBIs.
Quotable:
PCC coach Pat McGee: “I’m proud and happy for my kids! Today’s game is indicative of how they have approached the entire season. Compete until the last pitch is thrown and the last out is recorded. We have a lot of work still to get done, so we will enjoy this win for a few hours and then it’s on to completing our goal of winning the series.”
PCC pitcher Nick Esparza: “I felt pretty good the whole game i was just waiting for my name to be called and when it was i was ready. I felt that alot was going my way today on the mound. I came in knowing that i had to be the guy to shut them down. It was a team effort today and we’re a very tough team. I’m proud of all of us for competing and never giving up.”
PCC second baseman Andres Kim: “It was one of the most focused I’ve seen our team collectively. We battled adversity all game and we showed how much heart this team has.”
Box Score:
RCC: 1-5-0-2-2-1-0-0-0-(11)
PCC: 1-1-2-5-2-0-0-0-1-(12)
Hits:
RCC 18; PCC 18
Home Runs:
Ryan Mota (RCC), Patrick Vizcaino (RCC), Garrett McKee (RCC), Shane Ogata (PCC)
Doubles:
Patrick Vizcaino (RCC), Zach Grande (RCC), Alex Briggs (PCC), John Bicos (PCC)
Team Batteries:
RCC: Blake Tuthill, Daniel Agramont (4), Bayley Chesterton (5) and Peter Gomez
PCC: Paul McAllister, Chris Brown (3), Nick Esparza (4) and Jessie Garcia
Win: Nick Esparza (3-0)
Loss: Bayley Chesterton (1-2)
