Lasers baseball comes away with win in pitcher’s duel
The Irvine Valley baseball team continued to improve on its season, as they won a close 2-0 game over the Saddleback Gauchos (10-3, 1-1).
The Lasers only managed four hits and two runs in the win, but that was enough thanks to a complete game shutout from sophomore pitcher Enzio Perez. Perez allowed only four hits and three walks to the Gauchos, while striking out seven batters. “They were tough batters, and a pretty good team,” Perez said after the game. “This team is built on pitching and defense. I just went in there and hit my spots.”
Irvine Valley put up both of its two runs in the fourth inning thanks to a RBI single by third baseman Daniel Poe, followed by an RBI groundout by first baseman Andrew de la Riva. Saturday’s game was the third game out of the Laser’s last four in which they only scored two runs. Head coach Kent Madole was very pleased with how the Lasers performed in the win, saying that it felt good to play well. “We’re happy with the win because we played better as a team,” Madole said. “We limited [the Gauchos] potent offense to four hits and we made no errors. We had a couple of timely hits, planted a couple of runs, and that’s the difference.”
Saddleback’s loss marked the second time this season that they were held to only four hits, the last time coming in a 4-2 win over El Camino-Compton Center. It was also the first time all season that the Gauchos were shut out. Saddleback’s pitching was not much of a problem in the loss, as starter Tyler Brashears pitched nine innings of four hit ball, striking out a season high 10 batters. 10 strikeouts is the most by any Gauchos starter this season, as Brashears surpassed the mark he set in his previous start.
The Lasers (6-8, 1-1) will return home on Tuesday Mar. 5 when they host Fullerton College before going on a two game road trip. Saddleback will be going on the road for five of its next six games, its next home game coming on Thursday Mar. 7 against Santa Ana College.