OCC opens with tight win

COSTA MESA — The community college baseball season is one game old and already Orange Coast College seems to have mastered a concept that might have helped the 2007 squad a great deal: Damage control.

Four Pirates pitchers continually worked into, then out of jams Friday to help secure a 4-3 nonconference triumph over visiting Cuesta.

The Cougars, ranked No. 2 in the Southern California preseason poll, put their leadoff man on base six times, were issued four walks, had two hit batters and benefited from two OCC errors. They also had 10 hits. But all they had to show for it was three unearned runs and enough frustration to hold them until the two teams resume today with a doubleheader at OCC that begins at 10 a.m.

No. 6-ranked OCC, on the other hand, left the bases loaded by recording the final out, got out of a bases-loaded, no-outs situation on an inning-ending double play in the third, also stranded two runners in the sixth and the seventh, and ended another threat with a one-out double play in the fifth.

This was especially nice, OCC Coach John Altobelli said, since the trend last season was to fail in games decided by two or fewer runs.

The 2007 Pirates, who finished 26-21 and reached the Southern California Super Regionals, were 6-10 in one-run decisions. They were 2-3 in games decided by two runs.

“The first game was a little tighter than we wanted it to be, but at least we’re on the good side for a change in a one-run game,” Altobelli said.

OCC starter Chris Licon, a freshman, worked five innings to earn the victory in his collegiate debut.

Lincon allowed four hits, walked two and fanned two, surrendering two unearned runs that allowed the Cougars to forge a 2-2 tie in the second inning.

Sophomore left-hander Brandon Dixon posted five of his six outs via the strikeout, before sophomore Serrin Jarvi allowed just one hit in a scoreless eighth to set the stage for the closing debut of freshman Brett Wallach.

Wallach, the son of former Major League player and coach Tim Wallach, spent the first eight innings at shortstop. When taking the mound to start the ninth, he said he was joined by some unwelcome companions.

“Those butterflies were pretty big,” said Wallach, who barely pitched at all at Orange Lutheran High and was stunned to learn he would close for the Pirates this season.

Up, 4-2, after OCC freshman catcher Jourdan Watanabe singled in an insurance run in the eighth, Wallach fanned the Cuesta leadoff man. But a walk and a single put runners at the corners. The next batter flew out to center and Wallach then induced a slow grounder to short that appeared to be an easy final out. But Kyle Muhlsteff, who had moved over from second to start the inning, booted the ball for an error. One run scored on the play, which left runners on first and second.

Pinch-hitter Ryan Smith followed with an infield hit to load the bases, but Wallach swept a low slider over the middle of the plate to strike out Brian Farris looking to end the game.

“This is the first time I’ve ever closed,” Wallach said, “so it was pretty exciting. Especially that 0-2 pitch [to Farris] for the last out.”

Freshman first baseman Drew Hillman (three for four with an RBI) and sophomore leadoff man Wes Kartch (two for four), produced five of the Pirates’ eight hits.

No OCC hit, however, was bigger than sophomore Mike Ferraro’s double that one-hopped into the right-field corner to drive in two first-inning runs.

Hillman put OCC on top, 3-2, with a two-out, bloop single to shallow right, that plated Kartch. Kartch had opened the inning with a line single to center and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Muhlsteff.

Sophomore Cory Olson and Hillman had back-to-back singles to open the ninth and Watanabe singled home Olson one out later for what proved to be valuable insurance.

“All the pitchers did a good job,” said Altobelli, who noted he was gratified that they were all able to make pitches in the clutch. “I was very much pleased with the way they stepped up in big situations,” Altobelli said.

Cuesta starter Pat Haugen, who was 9-4 last season with a staff-leading 3.75 earned-run average for the Cougars, absorbed the loss.

Nonconference

Orange Coast 4, Cuesta 3

SCORE BY INNINGS

Haugen, Aldridge (6) and Farris; Licon, Dixon (6), Jarvi (8), Wallach (9) and Watanabe. W – Licon, 1-0. L – Haugen, 0-1. Sv – Wallach (1). 2B – Ferraro (OCC). McConkey (C).

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].