Gauchos baseball win with season-high hits
Saddleback showed no love for visiting Chaffey College on Valentine’s Day, as the Gauchos defeated the Panthers, 13-6, with a big fifth inning.
The 13 runs scored matched a season-high from Feb. 4 against San Diego City College.
The Gauchos (4-2 overall) got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning with three runs on three hits, three walks and a wild pitch. The Panthers (4-3) answered back with a run in the top of the third and another one in the fifth to pull within a run before an onslaught by Saddleback.
The Gauchos got six hits and two walks in the bottom of the fifth and put up a season-high seven runs.
There was one home run in the game and it came in the bottom of the sixth off the bat of Gauchos’ designated hitter Noah Graham. Graham went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. He also scored three runs.
Saddleback also got a big contribution from left fielder Ray Baca, who had two hits in two at-bats. He drove in two runs and walked twice. The Panthers’ top performer was first baseman Konner Butler who batted 2-for-2 with three runs scored and a walk.
Taylor Ohl took the mound for the Gauchos and had a solid outing giving up just one run and four hits in five innings. Ohl was relieved by Kyle Katsandris, who gave up a run and a hit and walked two in two innings. Jeff Martin took the mound in the eighth inning and only gave up one hit during his inning of relief.
Kevin Witt came in to close the game and was a little shaky, giving up four hits and three runs. But the Gauchos lead was too much to overcome. Ohl (1-0) got the victory. Panther pitcher Deven Owens (0-1) took the loss.