COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Cypress Overcomes Seven-Run Deficit to Defeat OCC

Cypress’ late rush toward the playoffs took another step forward when the Chargers rallied to beat Orange Coast, 13-11, in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game Saturday at OCC.

OCC held a 7-0 lead after two innings, but Cypress scored three runs in the fourth, four in the fifth and six in the sixth.

Cypress, the defending State champions, lost its first six conference games but has won 10 of the past 16, including three last week.

The Chargers took the lead in the sixth with the help of mistakes by OCC.

Kevin Clark and Tony Martinez started the inning with singles. Greg Cole lined a single to left that should have loaded the bases, but the ball got past OCC’s Scott Sebbo, allowing two runs to score, and Cypress led, 9-8.

Charles Gipson reached base on an error as another run scored and the Chargers were ahead, 10-8. David Newhan capped the inning with a three-run homer to give Cypress a 13-8 lead.

Newhan, a freshman who played left field and second base Saturday, had four hits, scored two runs and drove in five runs. It was his seventh homer of the season.

Chad Troxel (2-2) pitched the final 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and three unearned runs for the victory. Ten of OCC’s 11 runs were unearned.

The victory moves Cypress into fifth place, but only a game out of third place and a playoff spot. It’s possible the fourth-place team could get an at-large berth. Fullerton beat Riverside, 7-1, Saturday.

Riverside’s loss gave idle Rancho Santiago at least a tie for the conference title. Riverside (24-12, 12-9) is in second place in the conference, Fullerton (18-16-1, 11-11) is third, Orange Coast (19-14, 10-11) fourth, Cypress (24-17, 10-12) fifth, Saddleback (16-18-1, 9-13) sixth and Golden West (15-17-1, 8-13) seventh.

In other conference games:

Fullerton 7, Riverside 1--Aaron Charlton (6-5) pitched a three-hitter for visiting Fullerton. Ramon Apodaca was five for five with three RBIs, Matt Wilson had an RBI double and Fred Ashcraft had an RBI single for Fullerton.

Golden West 17, Saddleback 3--Ben Mendoza, Rob Walker and Dave Schultz had three hits and three RBIs each for Golden West. Schultz scored three times and Mendoza once. Chico Limas pitched a five-hitter, retiring 18 of the first 20 he faced. He took a two-hitter into the ninth, but gave up three hits and three runs.

In the Orange Empire Conference swimming and diving championships:

Orange Coast Wins--Charles Julson (200 backstroke), Bill Nickel (200 breaststroke) and Jason Bourland (100 freestyle) won individual events as the Pirates won the men’s title by 316 1/2 points over Grossmont.

In the women’s competition, Karyn Laing took the 100 butterfly in 1 minute, 1.31 seconds as Orange Coast finished 92 1/2 points ahead of San Diego Mesa.

At the South Coast Conference swimming and diving championships:

Golden West Sweeps--Jason Kandeale and Jared Johnson each won individual events and swam a leg on the Rustlers victorious 400 freestyle relay team as Golden West finished 477 points ahead of Long Beach.

Kris Corcoran won the 100 butterfly (1:06.99) as the Golden West edged El Camino, 580-544, for the women’s title.