Pirates stay hot on road

HUNTINGTON BEACH — The Drummond beat goes on for the Orange Coast College baseball team, which continued its oppressive pitching and abundant hitting in a 7-1 win over Orange Empire Conference host Golden West Tuesday.

The victory, keyed by seven strong innings from freshman right-hander Calvin Drummond, extended the Pirates’ winning streak to five, all against conference foes.

OCC (14-7, 5-2 in conference), ranked No. 15 in Southern California, has rebounded from an 0-2 conference start, as well as the trauma surrounding the death of redshirt sophomore Jourdan Watanabe on Feb. 27.

“[At Fullerton Thursday, Hornets’ Coach Nick Fuscardo] wanted to do a moment of silence for Jourdan,” OCC Coach John Altobelli said. “I told him ‘You know, I appreciate it, but we need to move on.’ [Watanabe, for whom a moving memorial service was held at the OCC baseball field on Sunday] is not going to be forgotten by any means. These [Pirates] are all wearing the black bracelets inscribed with ‘J Wat 22’ and ‘Forever a Pirate.’ And I keep putting his jersey up every day in the dugout.”

But, clearly, the Pirates have been able to also focus on baseball.

Drummond allowed just three hits and one earned run, striking out six to improve to 3-1.

And sophomore Brett Wallach fanned four in his two scoreless innings of relief to make it only two earned runs allowed by OCC pitchers in their last 37 1/3 innings (an 0.48 earned-run average).

“Calvin has been pitching unbelievable,” Altobelli said. “His last few starts have just been dominant. He was a little wild today and I don’t think he had his best stuff. He walked quite a few guys [four, which doubled his season total].”

Drummond was also the beneficiary of a 14-hit attack in which all 10 players who batted produced at least one hit.

OCC has outscored its opponents, 38-8, during the winning streak, including 34-5 the last four contests.

“We’ve been getting quality starts, which is huge, and we’ve been getting some key hits, which has been a big plus,” Altobelli said.

“I’m very pleased to be 5-2 after the first round [of conference play] after starting 0-2 and having all the distractions we’ve had to deal with. The guys have done a great job of rallying around each other.”

Altobelli said freshman Trevor McDonald, an Estancia High product who was hospitalized by a season-ending infection in his lower leg that required multiple surgeries two weeks ago, is now recovering at home.

Hitting, it seems, has also become infectious for OCC, which overcame three inning-ending double plays and some questionable baserunning decisions to allow Drummond to cruise.

Sophomore catcher D.J. Arellano followed Ryan Dunn’s RBI single with a two-run single to cap a three-run second for the visitors.

OCC upped its lead to 4-0 in the fifth and answered the lone run by the Rustlers (7-13-2, 0-6) with a three-run sixth that included a two-run single by freshman center fielder Mykal Stokes and an RBI single by sophomore third baseman Drew Hillman.

Sophomore shortstop Beck Wheeler had the other RBI for the Pirates, who received two hits apiece from the UC Irvine-bound Hillman, Dunn, a sophomore second baseman, freshman outfielder Scott Hong and Wheeler.

Wallach also walked twice to go with a single and six different Pirates scored runs.

A triple by Chris Devenski to lead off the fifth, led to the lone Golden West run, as it finished with just five hits.

OCC has a bye Saturday. The Pirates begin the second round, marked by back-to-back home-and-home meetings with each conference rival, by meeting Cypress, the top-ranked team in Southern California, at home Tuesday and on the road Thursday.

Orange Empire Conference

Orange Coast 7, Golden West 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

Drummond, Wallach (8) and Arellano; Plantz, Raines (5), Trentacosta (7) and Sanchez, Compton (8). W – Drummond, 3-1. L – Plantz, 2-4. 2B – Hillman (OCC). 3B – Devenski (GW).

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