2011 Game Stories

By Dave Loveton, sports information

For Box Scores and Play-by-Play, go to "Schedule and Results" and click on score

Saturday, May 14 -- Southern Cal Super Regional at Fullerton: SBCC vs. Cerritos, 10 a.m. Cerritos 5, SBCC 3 Final record: 24-17

Cerritos ends Vaqueros' season, 5-3

SBCC trailed 4-0 before coming to bat on Saturday in a Super Regional baseball elimination game and never caught up in a 5-3 loss to Cerritos at Fullerton College.
The Vaqueros (24-17) were held to five hits by Christian Rodriguez (8.1 innings, 3 runs, 4 hits) and Cesar Chavez. SBCC, playing in its first four-team Super Regional, was eliminated with its second straight defeat. On Friday, Orange Coast overcame an 8-4 deficit in the ninth and edged the Vaqueros 9-8 in 10 innings.
On Saturday, the WSC North champions hoped for a similar comeback when they came to bat trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Garrett Trevino walked and Robert Vickers singled to right with two outs. Pinch-hitter Zach Pecyna got on when the third baseman threw wildly past first, allowing Trevino to score and cut the deficit to 5-3. Joey Epperson walked to load the bases against Chavez, who relieved Rodriguez with one out in the inning.
The Vaqueros had a chance to tie it with a single but the rally ended when Eli Michaels popped out to third, ending the game.
Epperson, a freshman first baseman from Lafayette, Calif., went 2-3 and hit his first homer of the year -- a solo blast to left-center with two outs in the fifth that cut the deficit to 5-2. Epperson, who finished the year batting .310, also drew a pair of walks and reached base four times.
SBCC hit the ball hard a number of times -- including five deep flyouts that came close to the ivy-covered outfield fence -- but couldn’t locate the holes in the defense.
“We hit it hard all day but we kept finding their players,“ said Epperson. “We couldn’t catch a break the last couple of days. Things didn’t go our way but we never let up.
“The best thing about this group is we found ourselves about six weeks ago. We knew what we wanted and we achieved most of our goals. This was a special team.”
After a rocky first inning (four runs on three hits and three walks), sophomore left-hander Chris Joyce settled down, holding the Falcons (24-15) to one run on four hits over the next seven frames. Joyce (7-1) pitched eight innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with seven strikeouts, four walks and one hit batter. Left fielder Bubby Rossman went 3-4 with three RBIs to lead Cerritos, the champions of the South Coast Conference. It was the first meeting between the teams since 1973.
SBCC got a run in the first on walks to Cody Giordano and Epperson, followed by a fielder’s choice that scored Giordano. Outside of Epperson’s homer, the Vaqueros only managed four singles.
“We were still feeling some effects from the Orange Coast game,“ said coach Ryan Thompson. “Some of the kids were feeling sorry for themselves and it took us a couple of innings to figure it out. Those four runs in the first turned out to be the difference. We did hit the ball hard, considerably harder than either team we played.
“It took us a while to get where we wanted to go but we’re 100 percent tougher than where we were at the start. They really came together and became a good baseball team.
“We didn’t want it to end like this but we’re pleased to make the Super Regional for the first time. For the kids moving on, they’re going to learn a lot from this season.“

Box Score

Cerritos ….. 400 010 000 -- 5 7 2
SBCC ..…….. 100 010 001 -- 3 5 2
Rodriguez, Chavez (9) and Perry; Joyce, Alvarez (9) and White. W--Rodriguez 7-2. L--Joyce 7-1. S--Chavez 5.
HR--SB: Epperson (1), 5th inn., none on.

Friday, May 13 -- Southern Cal Super Regional at Santa Ana College: No. 7 seed SBCC vs. No. 4 Orange Coast, 3 p.m. Orange Coast 9, SBCC 8 (10 inns.) Record: 24-16

Pirates rally to edge Vaqueros 9-8
Vickers has 6 RBIs; SBCC can’t hold 8-4 lead in 9th

Orange Coast erased an 8-4 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the ninth in Friday's Southern Cal Super Regional baseball opener, then beat SBCC 9-8 on Chris Carlson's walk-off homer in the 10th.
“That’s a tough loss,” said Vaquero coach Ryan Thompson. “We had ‘em and we messed up. We threw to the wrong base (in the ninth, allowing the tying run to score). That’s a tough way to lose.”
The WSC North champion Vaqueros (24-16) will meet Cerritos (23-15) on Saturday at Fullerton College in an elimination game, starting at 10 a.m. Santa Ana, the No. 3 seed with a 28-12 record, routed No. 8 Cerritos 12-3 on Friday and will host No. 4 Orange Coast (31-8) on Saturday at 11 a.m.
If No. 7 Santa Barbara beats Cerritos, it will play again at 3 p.m. at Santa Ana against the Santa Ana-OCC loser.
The Vaqueros got off to a super start with leadoff hitter Robert Vickers collecting a single, a grand slam and a two-run double in the first three innings. He went 3-6 with six RBIs.
Vickers has reached base 11 times in the last three games and batted in each of the first three innings for the third straight game. The grand slam, a towering blast to right-center with one out in the second, gave SBCC an early 4-0 lead.
In the third, Shay Maltese walked and Andrew Smith drove a ball up the middle for the first of his three singles. Vickers doubled to right to score both runners and boost the margin to 6-0.
The Pirates, runners-up in the Orange Empire League, scored four in the fourth off Kylin Turnbull. The Vaquero starter went seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts and six walks.
Smith had an RBI single in the fifth and the Vaqueros went up 8-4 in the ninth when Colt McLaughlin singled, stole second and scored on a throwing error.
Submarine reliever DJ Gunderson, the star of last week’s 2-1 Regional series win over Riverside, got through the eighth inning unscathed. The ninth was a different story as Matt Moynihan rapped his fourth hit and Carlson singled to right. Trent Woodard drilled a three-run homer to pull the Pirates within one, 8-7.
Anthony Perry relieved Gunderson and got a pop-up to shortstop. He walked the next three batters to load the bases, then got the second out on a fly to left. McLaughlin threw to second base to try to double up the runner and as he did, Tristen Metcalf took off for home and beat the throw to tie the game.
In the 10th, Moynihan flied out to center and Carlson hit a 3-0 pitch over the right-center fence for the victory.
“That’s just baseball,” said Vickers. “A couple calls didn’t go our way and a couple plays didn’t go our way. We’ll come back tomorrow ready to play.”
Chris Joyce (7-0, 1.78 ERA), the WSC North Pitcher of the Year, will start for the Vaqueros in Saturday’s game against Cerritos.

Box Score & Play-by-Play

At Santa Ana College
(10 innings)
SBCC ………….…... 042 010 001 0 -- 8 13 0
Orange Coast …… 000 400 004 1 -- 9 13 2
One out when winning run scored.
Turnbull, Gunderson (8), Perry (9) and White; Doran, O’Keefe (5), Malt by (8), Evans (10) and Woodard. W--Evans (4-0). L--Perry (1-3).
2B--SB: White, Vickers. OC: Moynihan. 3B--OC: Cho. HR--SB: Vickers (4), 2nd inn., three on. OC: Woodard (1), 9th inn., two on; Carlson (3), 10th inn., none on.

Saturday, May 7 -- Southern Cal Regional: Riverside at SBCC, 11 a.m. Game 2 -- SBCC 9, Riverside 3 Game 3 -- SBCC 9, Riverside 1 Record: 24-15

Gunderson guides Vaqueros to Regional win
He pitches 11 innings in two lopsided victories

DJ Gunderson insisted he wasn’t tired after shutting down Riverside with 11 innings of one-run ball in a doubleheader sweep on Saturday that earned SBCC a 2-1 series win in the Southern Cal Regional baseball playoffs.
In a pair of must-win games, the Vaqueros (24-15) rolled past the Tigers 9-3 and 9-1 at Pershing Park. In the decisive third game of the series, Robert Vickers had two doubles and a two-run homer in the first three innings as Santa Barbara built a 7-1 lead.
“My arm feels great,” said the submarine-throwing Gunderson, after tossing three innings of relief in the opener and eight solid innings in the rubber game. “I started games in high school but I haven’t started a game in four years.
“I think teams have trouble with a pitcher like me, especially if I can locate like I did today. I threw just two pitches -- fastball and slider.”
Gunderson, a sophomore right-hander from Mission Viejo, threw 162 pitches in 11 innings to pick up his fourth save and fifth win (5-4). He allowed just one run -- in the third inning of the second game -- on nine hits with nine strikeouts. He tossed an eight-hitter in the nightcap on 123 pitches, striking out six with three walks and two hit batters.
Santa Barbara, the WSC North champion, advances to next weekend’s Super Regionals at Santa Ana College. The seventh-seeded Vaqueros will take on No. 4 Orange Coast on Friday at 3 p.m. with No. 8 Cerritos and No. 3 Santa Ana playing at 11 a.m. in the double-elimination, three-day event.
Orange Coast eliminated Hancock, the third-place team from the WSC North, in two games (9-6 and 3-0).
Saturday’s wins are believed to be the first ever in postseason play for the Vaqueros, who will be making first trip to the Super Regionals.
“This team impressed me with how they learned to play the game,” said first-year coach Ryan Thompson, the WSC North Coach of the Year. “We’re 100 percent tougher than we were at the start of the year and it’s all because they found a way to do it.
“This is the proudest I’ve been of a team in a long, long, long, long time. We did it by scoring runs, which is uncharacteristic, and we did it by battling through some unbelievable adversity.”
SBCC was the visitor in Saturday’s first game, which was Game 2 of the series. The Vaqueros scored four in the first and two in the second to grab an early 6-0 lead. Daniel Howell returned from an injury to drive in two runs in the game, as did Joey Epperson and Tommy White.
Epperson’s six-game hit streak was halted in Saturday’s second game. He’s hit a sizzling .609 (14-23) during the streak.
Riverside (22-17) used six pitchers in the first game and they helped the Vaqueros by walking seven and hittint g three batters. In the second game, four Tiger pitchers struck out 11 but also issued seven walks and hit a pair of batters.
Sophomore left-hander Chris Joyce went the first six innings of the opener, allowing three runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts and three walks. Gunderson pitched a scoreless final three innings, allowing just one hit and fanning three.
Vickers reached base four times in each game and scored five runs. On Friday, SBCC was held to four hits in an 8-1 setback.
“We got some balls to fall today and got more clutch hits,” said Vickers, a former Dos Pueblos High standout. “We scored early and that was the story of the day. Our pitchers were unbelievable, especially DJ. I wasn’t expecting him to throw 11 innings.
“We’re going to the Super Regionals and we’re not done yet.”

   Game 2
SBCC ……....... 420 102 000 -- 9  8  1
Riverside …… 000 102 000 -- 3 7  6
Joyce, Gunderson (7) and White; McNutt, Hopper (2), Mack (5), Thomsen (6), Lutz (7), Mudron (9) and Ponce, McMath (9). W--Joyce 7-0. L--McNutt 2-1. S--Gunderson 4.
2B--SB: Howell. R: Kiriakos, Cuckovich. 3B--SB: Cavalier.

Game 3
Riverside …….. 001 000 000 -- 1  8 1
SBCC ……..…… 223 002 00x -- 9 10 2
Chabot, Butler (2), Mejia (5), Tomsen (7) and Ponce; Gunderson, Perry and White. W--Gunderson 5-4. L--Chabot 3-3.
2B--SB: Vickers 2, Michaels. HR--Vickers (3), 3rd inn., one on.

Friday, May 6 -- Southern Cal Regional, Game 1: Riverside (10th seed) at SBCC (7), 2 p.m. Riverside 8, SBCC 1 Record: 22-15

Riverside downs Vaqueros 8-1
Tigers score 7 in last 2 innings to take Regional opener

Riverside broke open a 1-1 pitching duel with seven runs in the final two innings on Friday at Pershing Park to hand SBCC an 8-1 baseball setback in the opener of a best-of-3 Southern Cal Regional playoff series.
Game 2 starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a third game, if necessary.
Chris Neff and Jordan Mejia combined on a four-hitter for the 10th-seeded Tigers (22-15), who collected 11 hits off a trio of Vaquero pitchers.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by Curtis Cassise in the fifth. Santa Barbara (22-15), the No. 7 seed, was held to one hit in the first five innings -- a third-inning double by Cody Giordano.
The Vaqueros tied it in the sixth on Pat Cavalier’s opposite-field single to left. They loaded the bases with one out but were shut down on a force play at home and a strikeout by Mejia, who had entered the game three batters earlier.
“We lost that ball game by not scoring runs in the early innings,” said SBCC coach Ryan Thompson. “We had chances, we just didn’t execute. If we had gotten one or two runs across, it‘s a different feel for us.”
Sophomore left-hander Kylin Turnbull (5-3) pitched well enough to win for the Vaqueros, who had their five-game home winning streak snapped. Turnbull allowed one run on five hits in 7-plus innings. He struck out five and walked three.
Turnbull opened the eighth by walking leadoff hitter Grady Espinosa on four pitches. DJ Gunderson relieved him and gave up a two-run single to Frankie Torres that put the Tigers up 3-1. Gunderson, a submarine pitcher, allowed four runs on four hits in one inning of work.
With one out, runners on second and third and a drawn-in infield, Torres chopped a single over the glove of second baseman Andrew Smith to score Espinosa and Cade Gotta.
Torres, who had two hits and four RBIs, added a two-run homer in the ninth off Tim Alvarez.
Chris Neff started for Riverside and went 5 2/3 innings, holding the Vaqueros to one run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Mejia (3.1 innings, no runs, 1 hit) got the win to improve to 2-3.
SBCC, which had scored 44 runs while winning five of its last six, was hurt by a pair of controversial calls.
With one out in the Vaquero seventh and Robert Vickers on second, Mejia attempted a pickoff and appeared to stride toward third base, which was unoccupied. Mejia ran at Vickers, then threw to Cassise, the third baseman, who tossed it to shortstop Nic Cuckovich for the out.
“We didn't think that was legal," said Thompson. "And their pitcher didn’t clear the rubber, which is also a balk.”
With the score tied at 1 and one out in the eighth, Riverside had runners on first and third. Gotta took off for second and SBCC catcher Tommy White alertly threw to third to try to catch Espinosa off base. The Vaqueros thought they had him but the umpire called him safe.
“The back pick at third is the one that killed us,” said Thompson. “The guy was out by about six or seven inches. If we get that out, we can keep our infield back and the next ground ball is 4-3 and we’re out of the inning tied 1-1.
“It’s hard to battle uphill battles and we weren’t able to overcome some adversity that wasn’t our choice. We just have to live with it.”

Riverside …… 000 010 052-- 8 11 1
SBCC ….….…. 000 001 000 -- 1 4 2
Neff, Mejia (6) and Ponce; Turnbull, Gunderson (8), Alvarez (9) and White. W--Mejia 2-3. L--Turnbull 5-3.
2B--R: Cuckovich, Erickson. SB: Giordano. HR--R: Torres (2), 9th inn., one on.

Thursday, April 28 -- Oxnard at SBCC, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 8, Oxnard 2 Records: 22-14, 15-5 WSC North (champions)

Epperson goes 4-for-4 in 8-2 victory
Joyce fans 11 in regular-season finale

Joey Epperson was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBIs on a windy Thursday and Chris Joyce struck out 11, leading SBCC to an 8-2 baseball win over Oxnard in its regular-season finale at Pershing Park.
Epperson had two singles, a double and a triple for the Vaqueros (22-14, 15-5), who won 10 of their last 11 conference games to secure their first WSC North title since 2007. Epperson reached base in all five at-bats and scored three runs.
“My teammates let me know that I was close to hitting for the cycle,” said Epperson, a freshman first baseman from Lafayette, Calif. “With the wind the way it was and the type of hitter I am, I wasn’t trying to hit any homers.”
Epperson drove in Santa Barbara’s first run with a wind-blown triple in the first and the last one with an RBI single in the eighth. Colt McLaughlin, who batted one spot behind Epperson in the cleanup position, went 2-3 with two walks and two runs scored.
The 3 and 4 spots in the Vaquero batting order reached base in nine of 10 at-bats and scored five runs. Chito Elias, the No. 5 hitter, had two of the Vaqueros’ 12 hits.
SBCC, ranked No. 9 in Southern Cal, led 4-0 after three innings in support of Joyce, who improved to 6-0 by holding the Condors to one run on four hits in seven innings. Joyce struck out 11, walked four and hit a batter.
Joyce, a southpaw from Dos Pueblos High, lowered his ERA to 1.54 and moved into the top spot in the state with 97 strikeouts. His teammate Kylin Turnbull is sixth with 82.
“The nice thing about today is there’s a few things we could have done better and we still won 8-2,” said Epperson. “We’ll make a couple of improvements next week. For us, it doesn’t end with us taking 3-of-4 from every team in conference or with winning the conference. It ends with us taking a state championship in Bakersfield and that’s what we’re all striving for.”
SBCC has won its last five home games by a combined score of 30-10.
“It was a tough day to hit with the wind (that was really howling in the fifth and sixth innings),” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We did a good job of staying mentally focused.”
The Vaqueros open play in the Southern Cal Regional on Friday, May 6 with a home game at 2:30 p.m. The opponent in the best-of-3 series will be announced on Sunday.

Oxnard ….... 000 010 010 -- 2 7 1
SBCC ….….. 202 010 21x -- 8 12 1
Barraso, Diaz (6), Carpenter (8) and Esqueda; Joyce, Alvarez (8), Perry (9) and White, Trevino (9). W--Joyce 6-0. L--Barraso 4-6.
2B--O: White, Yallen. SB: Epperson. 3B--SB: Epperson.

Tuesday, April 26 -- SBCC at Oxnard, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 6, Oxnard 3 Records: 21-14, 14-5 WSC North

Vaqueros rally to clinch WSC North title
Turnbull throws complete game in 6-3 road win

Kylin Turnbull tossed his fourth complete game on Tuesday and SBCC overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat Oxnard 6-3 and claim the WSC North baseball title.
Turnbull, a 6-4 sophomore left-hander, gave up three first-inning runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts, no walks and a hit batter. He didn’t allow a hit after the third inning. Turnbull (5-2) is fourth in the state with 82 strikeouts.
Colt McLaughlin had two hits and Robert Vickers and Joey Epperson each stole three bases for the Vaqueros (21-14, 14-5), who are ranked No. 9 in Southern Cal. Santa Barbara has a two-game lead over Cuesta and Hancock (both 12-7) with one game left.
Shay Maltese delivered a two-out RBI double in the fifth and Andrew Smith followed with a run-scoring single.
Vickers stole home in the sixth to tie the score at 3-3 and Epperson came around from second and scored on the same play to make it 4-3. In the eighth inning, Vickers walked and went to second on a passed ball. As he was stealing third, the ball went to the backstop and the former Dos Pueblos High star kept going to score from second.
“We did a great job on the bases with two guys scoring from second,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “This was a great team win.”
Pat Cavalier added an RBI single in the ninth.
The Vaqueros complete the regular season on Thursday when they host Oxnard at 2:30 p.m.

SBCC …...…... 000 022 011 -- 6 8 1
Oxnard …...… 300 000 000 -- 3 7 1
Turnbull and White; Valdez, Mackey (6), Ekstrand (7) and Griffith. W--Turnbull 5-2. L--Mackey 0-2.
2B--SB: White, Maltese.

Thursday, April 21 -- SBCC at L.A. Pierce, 2:30 p.m. L.A. Pierce 7, SBCC 6 (10 inn.) Record: 20-14

Pierce rallies for 7-6 win over Vaqueros
SBCC surrenders 6-1 lead in 10-inning loss

SBCC took a 6-1 lead into the eighth inning of Thursday's nonconference baseball clash between the top two teams in the Western State Conference but gave up a grand slam and then lost 7-6 in 10 innings at Woodland Hills.
The Vaqueros, who lead the WSC North with a 13-5 mark, had their three-game win streak snapped and fell to 20-14. Pierce, the WSC South leader with a 20-14 overall record, got a grand slam from Richard Stock in the eighth and won it on Fernando Gallegos’ one-out, bases-loaded single in the 10th.
The Brahmas are ranked No. 8 in Southern California while the Vaqueros are 12th.
“This was one of the more deflating losses,” said SBCC coach Ryan Thompson. “We had a chance to close them out and we didn't do it. We were terrible offensively, missing a sacrifice bunt and a hit-and-run play. At times, we didn’t run hard on the bases and that hurt us.“
The Vaqueros had 14 hits, one day after beating West L.A. 14-7 with a 19-hit attack. Joey Epperson had three hits for the second straight day and Cody Giordano contributed three hits and two RBIs, raising his team-high batting average to .348.
Colt McLaughlin had two hits and drove in two runs while Robert Vickers had two RBIs.
Left-hander Chris Joyce went the first seven innings, striking out nine and holding the Brahmas to one run. DJ Gunderson replaced Chad Caraccioli with the bases loaded and no outs in the eighth. A run scored on a walk and Stock followed with the grand slam that tied it at 6-6.
The Vaqueros play their final two WSC North games next week. SBCC, which has clinched at least a tie for the conference crown, will travel to Oxnard on Tuesday and host the Condors on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

SBCC …..……... 211 002 000 0 -- 6 14 2
L.A. Pierce ...… 100 000 050 1 -- 7 10 3
One out when winning run scored.
Joyce, Caraccioli (8), Gunderson (8), Perry (9) and White; Tolbert, Santhon (6), Wharton (9) and Laurita. W--Wharton 2-1. L--Perry 1-2.
2B--SB: Giordano, White, Smith. HR--LAP: Stock (6), 8th inn., three on.

Wednesday, April 20 -- SBCC at West L.A., 2 p.m. SBCC 14, West L.A. 7 Record: 20-13

Vaqueros double up Oilers 14-7
Turnbull fans 10; Maltese belts 3-run homer

SBCC erupted for a season-high 14 runs on a season-high 19 hits Wednesday afternoon in a 14-7 nonconference baseball win over West L.A. in Culver City.
Shortstop Shay Maltese was 2-3 and hit his first homer -- a three-run blast in the seventh. Colt McLaughlin was 2-4 with a three-run triple during a five-run uprising in the second.
The Vaqueros (20-13) led 6-1 after two innings and 9-3 after four on the way to their third straight win and ninth in 10 games. Santa Barbara, which has a two-game lead in the WSC North with two to play, reached 20 wins for the fifth straight season.
West L.A., the eighth-place team in the WSC South, lost for the 12th time in 13 games to fall to 8-22-1.
Sophomore left-hander Kylin Turnbull (4-2), the first of five SBCC pitchers, got the win by striking out 10 in five innings. He gave up three runs on five hits with no walks for SBCC, which is ranked 12th in Southern Cal.
Joey Epperson went 3-4, Pat Cavalier had two hits and two RBIs and Andrew Smith was 2-3 with two runs. Cody Giordano pinch hit in the eighth and delivered a booming two-run double.
“All our position guys played and almost everyone got a hit,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We hit the ball hard. This was the first game we’ve scored in double digits. Cody hit the hardest ball of the day -- a 380-foot shot over the center fielder’s head.
“These games are important for our development and for our RPI ranking. We’re very close to Pierce in the RPI.”
The Vaqueros will travel to Woodland Hills to face L.A. Pierce (19-14) on Thursday in a matchup of the WSC North and South leaders. Pierce, ranked eighth in Southern Cal, is No. 12 in the South RPI ratings while SBCC is No. 13.

SBCC …...….... 150 300 320 -- 14 19 3
West L.A. .…... 102 000 040 -- 7 9 1
Turnbull, Alvarez (6, Brenna (7), Vasquez (8), Perry (9) and Trevino, White (8); Andrews, Heller (4), Corbusier (8) and Gamez. W--Turnbull 4-2. L--Andrews 1-1.
2B--SB: Pecyna, Smith, Giordano. WLA: Munoz, Carter. 3B--SB: McLaughlin. WLA: Seigel. HR--SB: Maltese (1), 7th inn., two on.

Saturday, April 16 -- SBCC at Cuesta, 1 p.m. SBCC 5, Cuesta 2 Records: 19-13, 13-5 WSC North

Vaqueros clinch tie for WSC North crown
Morse, Gunderson combine on 3-hitter in 5-2 win

Colby Morse and DJ Gunderson combined on a 3-hitter Saturday afternoon and SBCC scored three unearned runs in the ninth to beat Cuesta 5-2 and claim a share of the WSC North baseball title.
The Vaqueros (19-13, 13-5), ranked No. 13 in Southern Cal, lead No. 5 Cuesta (19-13, 11-7) by two games with two to play.
The victory in San Luis Obispo was the second straight and eighth in nine games for SBCC, which took the season series with Cuesta, 3-1. The WSC title is the Vaqueros’ first since 2007 and their fourth overall.
Robert Vickers led off the game with a solo homer and he and Cody Giordano each had two hits for SBCC, which clinched its first Southern Cal Regional berth since 2008.
“I’m just happy for the guys,” said first-year coach Ryan Thompson. “It’s a testament to what was laid down before us. I think we’re going to host a regional series but our work is far from done.
“I also want to praise the effort of our pitching coach, Justin Aspegren, and his staff. They had a lot to do with us winning the title.”
SBCC is first in the WSC and seventh in the state with a team ERA of 2.89.
Four of the five Vaquero runs were unearned thanks to three Cuesta errors.
Max Duvall hit a two-run homer for the Cougars in the first. SBCC tied it at 2 in the third on a double by Andrew Smith, a groundout and an error on the third baseman that brought in Smith.
Cuesta didn’t have a hit after the second inning and only two runners reached base in the last seven frames.
The Vaqueros sent nine batters to the plate in the ninth and scored three runs on one hit, two errors, two walks (one intentional) and a hit batter.
Smith reached on a one-out error and Vickers singled. Shay Maltese bunted and reached on a fielder’s choice with Smith scoring on an error. The last two runs came home when Joey Epperson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Colt McLaughlin walked for another RBI.
SBCC will play nonconference games on Wednesday and Thursday at West L.A. and L.A. Pierce, respectively.

SBCC …….... 101 000 003 -- 5 7 0
Cuesta …..… 200 000 000 -- 2 3 3
Morse, Gunderson (8) and White; Christensen, Gerber (5), Haringa (9) and Lindmark. W--Gunderson 4-4. L--Gerber 7-3.
2B--SB: Smith. HR--SB: Vickers (2), 1st inn., none on. C: Duval (6), 1st inn., one on.

Thursday, April 14 -- Cuesta at SBCC, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 5, Cuesta 0 Records: 18-13, 12-5 WSC North (1st place)

Joyce tosses 1-hitter with 12 K
White, Howell homer for first-place Vaqueros

Chris Joyce threw a one-hitter on Thursday and Tommy White went 3-4 with a solo homer and a double to help SBCC’s baseball team regain sole possession of first place with a 5-0 shutout of Cuesta at Pershing Park.
Daniel Howell hit his sixth homer leading off the eighth to stretch the lead to 4-0. With two outs, White homered to nearly the same spot in left-center field.
The Vaqueros (18-13, 12-5) have a one-game lead over Cuesta (19-12, 11-6) atop the WSC North with three to play. The teams will meet for the fourth and final time on Saturday in San Luis Obispo at 1 p.m.
Joyce (5-0) struck out 12 and carried a no-hitter into the eighth for the Vaqueros, who've won seven of their last eight. Andrew Montanari hit a bloop single down the left-field line for the Cougars’ only hit with one out in the eighth.
“My fastball and slider were my best pitches and I was able to command my curveball for strikes,“ said Joyce, a sophomore left-hander who walked four and picked a runner off second to end the fifth. “I was aware I had a no-hitter going. It was in the back of my mind.
“The only reason I had the no-hitter for so long was our defense was playing great behind me.”
Joyce and John Tiedemann (7-2, 2.54 ERA) were locked in a pitcher’s duel for the first 4½ innings with neither allowing a hit. White’s single to right was the Vaqueros’ first ball that left the infield in the first five frames.
Joyce lowered his ERA from 1.91 to 1.61 and moved into second in the state in strikeouts with 77. He retired 17 of 18 from the second to the eighth inning and struck out six straight before allowing the hit. Tiedemann gave up three runs (two earned) in 7 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts and three walks.
“Chris was a more crisp with his stuff (than in previous outings),“ said SBCC coach Ryan Thompson. “His breaking ball was working very well and he threw it for strikes early in the game when he was wild with his fastball. That’s a very good hitting team.
“Tiedemann is a quality pitcher, throwing 90-92 mph. He got out of a bases-loaded jam (in the fifth) but his pitch count really went up in that inning. We made him pay in the next inning.
“Those are two of the best pitchers in our conference, along with a few others like (SBCC’s Kylin) Turnbull.”
SBCC finally broke through in the sixth when Howell reached on an error on the shortstop with two outs and sprinted around the bases to score on Pat Cavalier’s double.
White was involved in a controversial play leading off the seventh. The Vaquero catcher fouled a ball into the left-field corner and LaBronze Sanderson caught it. It was initially ruled an out by the home-plate umpire but he reversed his call after Thompson explained that the area was out of play.
White then doubled to right and scored the Vaqueros’ second run on Andrew Smith’s RBI single up the middle.
Cuesta coach Bob Miller had argued when White’s foul-ball call was reversed. One batter later, he was ejected after Shay Maltese appeared to offer at a bunt but it was called a ball.
White has raised his offensive game with two homers in the last three games, thanks in part to a meal change.
“I’m pretty superstitious, so I switched up my breakfast a few weeks ago,” said White, who led the Vaqueros in hitting last year at .424 but was batting .161 entering Thursday‘s game. “I used to eat a bagel and now it’s yogurt and fruit. It seems to be doing the trick.
“On the homer, I had a feeling he was going to throw me an inside fastball. He left it up and I turned on it.”
SBCC travels to Cuesta on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game.

Cuesta …….... 000 000 000 -- 0 1 2
SBCC ……...… 000 000 22x -- 5 8 2
Tiedemann, Levin (7), Haringa (8) and Lindmark; Joyce and White. W--Joyce 5-0. L--Tiedemann 7-2.
2B--SB: Cavalier, White. HR--SB: Howell (6), 8th inn., none on; White (3), 8th inn., none on.

Tuesday, April 12 -- SBCC at Hancock, 2:30 p.m. Hancock 5, SBCC 4 (11 innings) Records: 17-13, 11-5

Errors foil Vaqueros at Hancock
SBCC ties it in ninth, then falls 5-4 in 11

SBCC scored twice in the ninth inning to tie Tuesday’s WSC North game but Hancock rallied for a run in the 11th to pull out a 5-4 win in Santa Maria.
The Vaqueros (17-13, 11-5) committed four errors as their six-game winning streak came to an end. Cuesta beat Moorpark 6-0 to move back into a first-place tie with Santa Barbara.
The Vaqueros have four WSC games remaining and two are against Cuesta (Thursday at home and Saturday in San Luis Obispo).
Dalton Rouleau hit a one-out single for Hancock (16-14, 9-7) in the 11th, then stole second. After an intentional walk, J.P. Maestas singled to left and SBCC booted the ball, allowing the winning run to score.
Santa Barbara rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 4-2. Left-hander Kylin Turnbull went seven innings, allowing four runs on six hits with seven strikeouts.
In the seventh, the Bulldogs (16-14, 9-7) loaded the bases with no outs before Turnbull fanned two batters. Then he hit a batter on an 0-2 count, giving Hancock a 4-2 lead.
The Vaqueros tied it at 4-4 in the ninth when Colt McLaughlin walked with one out and pinch-hitter Zach Pecyna singled. With two outs and two strikes, Pat Cavalier stroked a two-run single over the shortstop’s head.
“It was a great comeback on a tough day when we lined out seven times,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We gave them three runs in the first on one hit and an error. We weren’t ready to play. I was OK with our hitting but we just weren’t ready defensively.”
The Vaqueros will host Cuesta in a first-place showdown on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

(11 innings)
SBCC ……..... 002 000 002 00 -- 4 6 4
Hancock …… 300 000 100 01 -- 5 11 1
One out when winning run scored.
Turnbull, Gunderson (8) and White, Trevino (9); Sechler, Dunsmore (10) and Young. W--Dunsmore 1-0. L--Gunderson 3-4.

Saturday, April 9 -- Hancock at SBCC, 1 p.m. SBCC 9, Hancock 4 Records: 17-12, 11-4 WSC North (1st place)

White’s slam sparks 9-4 win
Epperson goes 4-4 in sixth straight victory

Tommy White picked the perfect time to unload the first grand slam of his life.
With SBCC trailing Hancock 4-2 in the seventh inning on Saturday at Pershing Park, the Vaqueros loaded the bases on two walks sandwiched around a single by Colt McLaughlin. With two outs, reliever Scott Borsum entered the game and White drilled a 1-1 pitch just inside the left-field foul line for his second homer of the year. That put Santa Barbara ahead 6-4 and the Vaqueros went on to beat the Bulldogs 9-4 to stay in first place in the WSC North baseball race.
“I was just trying to hit one hard up the middle,” said White, a sophomore catcher from Scottsdale, Ariz. “I’ve been struggling all year and he threw one right down the middle.”
Joey Epperson went 4-4 with an RBI for the Vaqueros (17-12, 11-4), who are ranked 19th in Southern California. McLaughlin and Robert Vickers were both 3-5 for SBCC, which posted a season-high in hits (16) for the third straight game and extended its winning streak to six games.
SBCC took over sole possession of first place in the WSC North, one game ahead of Cuesta (10-5).
Vickers had a solid fielding day with seven assists at third base and scored his team’s first run on a delayed steal of home in the third.
The Bulldogs (15-14, 8-7), ranked 17th in Southern Cal, scored three times in the third off starter Colby Morse to take a 4-0 lead. Morse settled down after that, allowing no runs on two hits over the next five innings.
“I had a little bit of jitters at the beginning,” said Morse, a 6-5 right-hander. “After the third inning, I settled down. I beared down and tried to keep our team in the game.
“I said a prayer before Tommy went to bat. He ended up hitting it out and you guys know the rest.”
The Vaqueros got hot after White’s round-tripper with four straight singles by Vickers, Cody Giordano, Epperson and McLaughlin with one out in the eighth. Epperson and McLaughlin had RBI hits and the ninth run scored on an infield error.
“I got excited on the grand slam,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “That was the first big swing Tommy’s had all year. It was as timely as any hit we’ve had this year.”
White and Andrew Smith each added two hits to the Vaquero attack.
“A lot of times when you take a lead late in a game, it takes a lot of the wind out of the other team’s sails,” added Thompson. “I always tell our guys that the only ones who can take the wind out of our sails is ourselves.”
The Vaqueros will take on Hancock in Santa Maria on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

Hancock ….... 103 000 000 -- 4 8 1
SBCC ……...… 001 100 43x -- 9 16 1
Shrider, Borsum (7), Vaquera (8) and Young; Morse, Caraccioli (9) and White. W--Morse 3-0. L--Shrider 4-2.
2B--H: Young, Hernandez. SB: Vickers, Cavalier. HR--SB: White (2), 7th inn., three on.

Thursday, April 7 -- SBCC at Ventura, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 7, Ventura 5 (10 inn.) Records: 16-12, 10-4 WSC North

Elias doubles SBCC past Ventura
He gets three hits in 7-5, 10-inning triumph

SBCC scored three times in the eighth to erase a 5-2 deficit on Thursday and went on to beat Ventura 7-5 in a 10-inning baseball game on the road.
Chito Elias went 3-for-5 with two doubles, including an RBI double in the 10th that scored Colt McLaughlin and gave the Vaqueros a 6-5 lead. Joey Gonzalez followed with a single and Tommy White’s sacrifice fly scored Elias with the final run.
It was the fifth straight win and eighth in 10 games for the Vaqueros (16-12, 10-4), who remained in a first-place tie with Cuesta in the WSC North. Santa Barbara won the season series with Ventura, 3-1.
DJ Gunderson (3-3) got the win with three innings of no-run, no-hit relief. Chris Joyce went the first seven innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with nine strikeouts and three walks.
Trailing 5-2 in the eighth, the Vaqueros got a single from Cody Giordano, a long RBI double by Joey Epperson, a single by McLaughlin and an RBI single by Elias to make it 5-4. McLaughlin scored the tying run on a passed ball.
McLaughlin was 2-4 with three runs scored and Robert Vickers went 2-5 for the Vaqueros, who had a season-high 15 hits.
“Epperson hit the ball on the nose four times but only came away with one hit,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We played tough. Gunderson was fantastic in the last three innings.
“I was happy to see us go ahead in the 10th and happier to see the second run. It’s a lot easier to pitch with a two-run lead.”
The Vaqueros will host Hancock on Saturday at 1 p.m.

SBCC …........ 020 000 030 2 -- 7 15 1
Ventura …… 200 001 200 0 -- 5 7 1
Joyce, Gunderson (8) and White; Gwynn, Yingling (9) and Boys. W--Gunderson 3-3. L--Yingling 1-2.
2B--SB: Elias 2, Epperson, White. V: Nathanson 2. HR--V: Yingling (5), 7th inn., one on.

Tuesday, April 5 -- Ventura at SBCC, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 5, Ventura 2 Records: 15-12, 9-4 WSC North (tied for 1st)

Vickers homers in fourth straight win
Giordano gets 3 hits; SBCC moves into first

Leadoff hitter Robert Vickers belted a homer and a double on Tuesday and Cody Giordano collected three hits for the second straight day to lead SBCC past Ventura 5-2 in a WSC North game at Pershing Park.
“I’ve been seeing the ball better lately and putting better swings on the ball,” said Vickers, a former Dos Pueblos High standout who transferred from College of the Canyons. “He threw me a hanging slider (on the home run). I had two strikes and I just choked up and tried to stay short. When I saw it hanging, I just turned on it.”
The Vaqueros (15-12, 9-4) extended their season-high win streak to four games and moved into a tie with Cuesta atop the WSC North. Hancock routed Cuesta 15-1 on Tuesday.
Five pitchers combined on a seven-hitter for Santa Barbara, which has captured seven of its last nine games. Tim Alvarez gave up two runs in the first four innings to get his first win and Anthony Perry pitched the ninth to notch his fourth save.
SBCC had a season-high 13 hits with a homer and three doubles. Ventura (8-17, 4-9) didn't have an extra-base hit.
“I’m pleased with our hit total but I’m not pleased that we left guys on third with less than two outs multiple times,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We need to do a better job of sacrificing an out for a run. This game could have easily been 9-2.
“We were planning to throw a bunch of guys and our pitchers relished in their roles. We played tough defense and our talent shined through today.”
Vickers led off the third with his first homer of the season over the right-field fence. It was a screaming liner that bounced onto Castillo St. and tied the game at 2. Giordano and Joey Epperson followed with singles and Colt McLaughlin put SBCC ahead to stay 3-2 by driving in Giordano with an opposite-field single.
Giordano was 3-3 and has six hits in his last seven at-bats. McLaughlin was also 3-3 and threw out a runner at the plate from right field to end the fifth inning.
Vickers scored the fourth run in the fourth when he doubled with two outs and came home when Giordano sprinted to first to beat out an infield hit.
“We’re starting to figure it out as a team,” said Vickers. “We lost a lot of one-run games early and a lot of guys didn’t know how to win. Now, we’ve got everybody pulling the same way.”
SBCC made it 5-2 in the seventh by scoring on a squeeze bunt for the first time this year. Eli Michaels opened with a single and went to second on an outfield error. Shay Maltese bunted him to third and he scored on a squeeze bunt by Andrew Smith.
The Vaqueros travel to Ventura to complete their four-game conference series on Thursday, then return home to host Hancock on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Ventura ….... 101 000 000 -- 2 7 1
SBCC …….… 012 101 00x -- 5 13 2
Babola, Tyburski (7), Rinaldi (7), Duffy (8) and Boys, Gwynn (8); Alvarez, Dexter (5), Caraccioli (7), Gunderson (8), Perry (9) and Trevino. W--Alvarez 1-0. L--Babola 2-3 . S--Perry 4.
2B--SB: McLaughlin, Maltese, Vickers. HR--SB: Vickers (1), 3rd inn., none on.

Monday, April 4 -- SBCC at Oxnard, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 4, Oxnard 1 Records: 14-12, 8-4 (2nd place)

Turnbull tosses five-hitter in 4-1 win
Giordano goes 3-4 with two RBIs

Kylin Turnbull threw a five-hitter at Oxnard on Monday, leading SBCC to a 4-1 baseball victory. The sophomore left-hander struck out six and didn’t walk a batter while pitching his third complete game.
Cody Giordano went 3-4 with a two-run triple in the fifth for the Vaqueros (14-12, 8-4 WSC North), who trail first-place Cuesta (9-3) by a game with eight to play. It was SBCC’s third straight win and sixth in eight games.
“We had 10 hits today and we one hit away from really opening things up,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We were mentally tough. Our infield defense was very good, especially (Robert) Vickers at third base.”
Garrett Trevino was 2-3 with a double for Santa Barbara, which took a 2-1 lead in the second when Trevino doubled, took third on a passed ball and scored when Shay Maltese singled on an 0-2 count.
In the fifth, Vickers and Andy Smith singled and came around to score on Giordano’s triple to right-center field.
The Vaqueros will host Ventura on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.

SBCC …….... 110 020 000 -- 4 10 0
Oxnard …..… 100 000 020 -- 1 5 0
Turnbull and Trevino; Hernandez, Russell (6), Mackey (7) and Landeros, Griffith (8). W--Turnbull 3-2. L--Hernandez 1-2.
2B--SB: Trevino. 3B--SB: Giordano.

Saturday, April 2 -- SBCC at Moorpark, 1 p.m. SBCC 5, Moorpark 2 Records: 13-12, 7-4

Morse is solid in 5-2 road win
Vickers delivers 2-run double

Colby Morse didn’t allow a run until the eighth inning on Saturday, leading SBCC to a 5-2 WSC North victory at Moorpark.
Morse, a 6-5 sophomore right-hander, allowed just two runs on nine hits in 7 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks. DJ Gunderson got the final four outs to notch his third save.
SBCC’s defense turned two double plays, including one by Morse.
Robert Vickers drilled a two-out, two-run double in the fifth and Andrew Smith gave the Vaqueros (13-12, 7-4) a 4-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the seventh.
It was the fifth win in seven games for second-place Santa Barbara, which moved within a game of conference leader Cuesta (8-3).
SBCC plays at Oxnard on Monday. The next home game is Tuesday against Ventura at 2:30 p.m.

SBCC ……….... 010 020 110 -- 5 7 1
Moorpark …… 000 000 020 -- 2 11 2
Morse, Gunderson (8) and Trevino; Karp, Hawes (9) and Travnick. W--Morse 2-0. L--Karp 1-5. S--Gunderson 3.
2B--SB: Howell, Trevino, Vickers. 3B--M: R. Toczynski.

Thursday, March 31 -- Moorpark at SBCC, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 3, Moorpark 2 Records: 12-12, 6-4 WSC North

Howell redeems himself in 3-2 win
He hits walk-off homer in ninth; Joyce fans 15

It didn't take long for Daniel Howell to find redemption on a scorching Thursday afternoon at Pershing Park as SBCC overcame a bizarre fielding play to edge Moorpark 3-2 in a WSC North game.
Santa Barbara was poised to cap a 2-0 victory when Tyler Yuckert sent a high flyball toward Howell at first base. The bases were full of Raiders and there were two outs in the top of the ninth.
Howell called for the ball, then backed up and glanced over at second baseman Joey Gonzalez, who was rushing toward him. The ball landed between them for a stunning single that scored two runs and tied the game.
Howell led off the bottom of the ninth and boomed a walk-off homer to left on a 1-2 count off Tyler Karp, a starting pitcher who had just entered the game.
“I knew I was coming up first and I had just messed up big-time,” said Howell, who has five homers, the second-highest total in California. “I was just trying to hit a single, just trying to get on base. I battled him through two strikes (and two foul balls) and he missed with a pitch up. I just put a good swing on it.
“I wasn’t too happy about that play in the field. I should have caught the ball, no excuses. It did land behind me but I called for it early and ended up losing it. I should have caught it.”
Sophomore left-hander Chris Joyce turned in a solid performance for the Vaqueros (12-12, 6-4), striking out 15 in seven innings. He shut out the Raiders (9-13, 4-5) on five hits with three walks and two hit batters. Joyce, a Dos Pueblos High product who had 16 strikeouts earlier this year, fanned the side in four innings. He got the Nos. 3 and 4 batters three times each.
“My fastball was working and my curveball got me out of some jams,” said Joyce. “My slider and fastball were my putaway pitches.”
Reliever Anthony Perry stuck out the side in the eighth and added another in the ninth for a total of 19 strikeouts by two Vaquero pitchers.
“Chris struck out a lot of guys but that was, by far, his worst outing of the year in terms of his crispness,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “He wasn’t locating his pitches like he has in the past. But you know he‘s always going to compete.”
Center fielder Cody Giordano preserved a 1-0 lead in the sixth when he threw out Bryce Dailey at home. Dailey was trying to score from second on a single by John Travnick.
Perry allowed a leadoff single in the ninth, then got two outs on a liner to center and a strikeout looking. He walked Dustin Kahle and Austin Moscorro singled to load the bases. Yuckert then hit the fateful pop fly that landed about 10 feet wide of first base and tied the game at 2.
“You can get ticked off all you want but you need to be able to turn the page,” said Thompson. “If you try to play angry, it doesn’t work. Michael Jordan is probably the only one who’s done that on a routine basis.
“The most important lesson we learned was to turn the page and go to the next play.”
Howell had two of his team’s six hits.
SBCC got an unearned run in the first inning when Robert Vickers singled, went to second on an errant pickoff and scored when the shortstop threw wildly past third base.
It remained 1-0 until the eighth, when Cody Giordano reached on an infield single, stole second and scored on Pat Cavalier’s single.
SBCC travels to Moorpark on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game.

Moorpark …….. 000 000 002 -- 2 6 1
SBCC …….….… 100 000 011 -- 3 6 2
No outs when winning run scored.
Coats, Hawes (8), Karp (9) and Travnick; Joyce, Perry (8) and White, Trevino (8). W--Perry 1-1. L--Karp 1-4.
2B--M: Kahle. HR--SB: Howell (5), 9th inn., none on.

Wednesday, March 30 -- Cuesta at SBCC, 2:30 p.m. Cuesta 8, SBCC 2 Records: 11-12, 5-4

Gerber shuts down Vaqueros
They get six hits in 8-2 loss to Cuesta

SBCC’s offense struggled for the second straight day on Wednesday afternoon at Pershing Park in an 8-2 WSC North loss to Cuesta.
Phillip Gerber, a sidearm-throwing right-hander, tossed a complete-game six-hitter at the Vaqueros (11-12, 5-4), who’ve scored just three runs in their last 18 innings. He struck out six and walked one for the conference-leading Cougars (15-8, 7-2), who are ranked No. 5 in Southern California.
“We’re not getting pitches to hit, we’re taking ourselves out of at-bats and we’re not competing,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We’re selling ourselves short of our talent.
“And our pitchers got banged around. We fell behind in the count, we left balls up and they hit them hard. That’s a good-hitting team, they’re third or fourth in the state in hitting.”
Left-hander Jacob Dexter made his first start for SBCC since suffering an injury in the third game of the year. He gave up five runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Cuesta led 3-0 after two innings and 5-1 through five. The Vaqueros cut it to 5-2 in the seventh on a double by Tommy White and a sacrifice fly by Andrew Smith but the Cougars responded with a three-spot in the eighth.
Joey Epperson went 2-4 with a double for the Vaqueros, who will host Moorpark on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
SBCC was slated to play five games in five days but that won’t happen since Friday’s game at Oxnard has been moved to Monday, April 4.

Cuesta …….. 210 020 030 -- 8 12 1
SBCC …….… 001 000 100 -- 2 6 0
Gerber and Landmark; Dexter, Gunderson (5), Nieves (7), Vasquez (9) and White. W--Gerber 6-1. L--Dexter 0-2.
2B--C: Camporeale 2. SB: Epperson, White.

Tuesday, March 29 -- Oxnard at SBCC, 2:30 p.m. Oxnard 8, SBCC 1 Records: 11-11, 5-3

Vaqueros held to five hits in 8-1 loss
They commit six errors against Oxnard

SBCC had just five hits and six errors on Tuesday in an 8-1 loss to Oxnard at Pershing Park.
The Condors (10-10, 3-5 WSC North) broke open a 2-1 game with five runs on five hits in the seventh. The Vaqueros (11-11, 5-3) commited three errors in the inning.
Oxnard right-hander Jesus Valdez went the first six innings to improve to 6-1. He allowed three hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.
“We hit some balls hard but we didn’t get enough runners in scoring position,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “That’s a darned-good pitcher over there. He’s a fifth-round draft pick and he knows what he’s doing.
“Offensively, I‘m disappointed that we only scored one run. But our defense took everything out of our sails. We played terrible and we played timid. That‘s where we lost this game.”
Kylin Turnbull pitched the first seven innings for Santa Barbara, giving up seven runs (five earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk. He entered the game with 52 strikeouts, the fifth-highest total in the state.
Three of SBCC’s five hits were doubles by Chito Elias, Joey Epperson and Daniel Howell. Jacob Mahan paced Oxnard’s 11-hit offense by going 4-5 with two RBIs.
The Vaqueros went down 1-2-3 in four of the first five innings. Tommy White led off the third with a single and scored on Andrew Smith’s single up the middle. SBCC loaded the bases in the ninth on Howell’s double and two walks. Pinch-hitter Robert Vickers flied to right to end the game.
The Vaqueros will be at home on Wednesday against first-place Cuesta and Thursday against Moorpark. Both games start at 2:30 p.m.

Oxnard …….. 101 000 501 -- 8 10 0
SBCC …….… 001 000 000 -- 1 5 6
Valdez, Cerda (7) and Landeros; Turnbull, Prokop (8) and White, Trevino (8). W--Valdez 6-1. L--Turnbull 2-2.
2B--O: Cerda. SB: Elias, Epperson, Howell.

Tuesday, March 22 -- SBCC at Cuesta, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 6, Cuesta 5 Records: 11-10, 5-2

Vaqueros edge first-place Cuesta 6-5
Howell homers for second straight game

SBCC scored four runs in the last three innings Tuesday and rallied to beat first-place Cuesta 6-5 in a WSC North game in San Luis Obispo.
Daniel Howell went 2-4 and homered for the second straight game. He hit his fourth round-tripper in the fourth inning, a solo shot that cut the deficit to 2-1. Chito Elias also had two hits for the Vaqueros (11-10, 5-2), who won their third in a row for the first time this year.
SBCC moved within a half-game of Cuesta (13-7, 5-1) and handed the Cougars their first conference loss. Cuesta is ranked No. 5 in Southern California.
The Vaqueros overcame deficits of 3-1 and 5-3. They loaded the bases in the eighth and Joey Epperson scored on a fielder’s choice by Joey Gonzalez.
The visitors won it with two in the ninth. They loaded the bases on an error, a single by Elias and an intentional walk to Howell. Epperson forced in the tying run with a walk and Elias scored the winning run when Robert Vickers grounded to first and the catcher pulled his foot off the plate on the throw home.
SBCC had eight hits and stranded 11 while the Cougars had 12 hits and left 12 on base.
Colby Morse (1-0) got the win by allowing one unearned run on one hit in 2 2/3 innings of relief. Anthony Perry pitched the ninth and gave up a two-out single before getting a groundout for his second straight save.
The Vaqueros will host Cuesta on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.

SBCC ….….. 000 101 112 -- 6 8 3
Cuesta …… 110 101 100 -- 5 12 4
Caraccioli, Morse (6), Perry (9) and White; Tiedemann, Murillo (7), Levin (7), Slover (9), Aprato (9) and Lindmark. W--Morse 1-0. L--Levin 0-1. S--Perry 3.
2B--C: Lindmark, Camporeale. HR--SB: Howell (4), 4th inn., none on.

Saturday, March 19 -- Hancock at SBCC, 1 p.m. SBCC 5, Hancock 4 Records: 10-10, 4-2

Howell’s homer lifts Vaqueros
They rally to beat Hancock 5-4

Daniel Howell snapped a 4-4 tie with a line-drive homer in the eighth inning and SBCC went on beat Hancock 5-4 in a WSC North baseball game at Pershing Park.
The Vaqueros (10-10, 4-2) rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Bulldogs (9-11, 2-4) for the second time in three days. SBCC won for the sixth time in eight games to even its season record at .500.
Santa Barbara took a 4-3 lead with a four-run fourth. The Vaqueros loaded the bases on a walk and singles by Howell and Joey Epperson. A fielder’s choice scored the first run and the second one came home on an error.
Tommy White scored on a wild pitch and Colt McLaughlin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, bringing Chito Elias home with the fourth run.
SBCC starter Kylin Turnbull, coming off two straight complete games, gave up three runs on eight hits over six innings. The left-hander struck out 10 (seven looking) and walked two.
“Kylin struggled a little, he was tentative more than anything else,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “He settled down and still got six innings in. That’s what you want from your starters.”
Four SBCC pitchers struck out 15 batters and stranded 13 Bulldog runners.
Hancock evened the game at 4-4 on an infield error in the eighth. DJ Gunderson relieved Tim Alvarez with runners on second and third and got the final out on a liner to left.
The Bulldogs got runners on first and second via two hit batters in the ninth. With two outs, Anthony Perry came on and promptly hit Taylor Mowatt to load the bases. Perry got the save by getting a flyout to center.
Howell struck out in the fifth before belting his third homer with one out in the eighth.
“In my previous at-bat, I missed two or three pitches that I could have hammered, so I wanted to go up the next time and calm myself down and try not to do too much,” said Howell, a sophomore first baseman. “I was just trying to get a single. It was a fastball. I knew I hit it hard but I wasn’t sure it had enough elevation.”
Thompson is happy with his team’s progress.
“We talk about winning weeks and we’ve won two in a row (going 2-1 each week),” he said.
The Vaqueros travel to first-place Cuesta on Tuesday, then host the Cougars on Thursday. Both games start at 2:30 p.m.

Hancock …... 200 100 010 -- 4 9 1
SBCC ……..... 000 400 01x -- 5 5 4
Shrider, Borsum (4) and Young; Turnbull, Alvarez (7), Gunderson (8), Perry (9) and White. W--Gunderson 2-3. L--Borsum 0-2. S--Perry 2.
HR--SB: Howell (3), 8th inn., none on.

Thursday, March 17 -- SBCC at Hancock, 2:30 p.m. SBCC 9, Hancock 4 Records: 9-10, 3-2

Seven-run sixth fuels 9-4 victory
Howell has three hits; Joyce improves to 4-0

SBCC erupted for seven runs in the sixth inning on Thursday and went on to beat Hancock 9-4 in a WSC North baseball game at Santa Maria.
Daniel Howell went 3-for-5 and had a two-run double in the seven-run uprising. Joey Epperson followed with an RBI single and Tommy White added a sacrifice fly to boost the lead to 9-1. The Vaqueros sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning with five hits, two walks and two hit battters.
Santa Barbara (3-2, 9-10) moved into a second-place tie with Moorpark, two games behind Cuesta (5-0).
Sophomore left-hander Chris Joyce (4-0) held the Bulldogs (9-10, 2-3) to an unearned run on three hits over seven innings. The former Dos Pueblos High standout struck out eight and walked one.
Pat Cavalier had two hits and drove in two runs and Colt McLaughlin scored twice. Eight of nine starters scored for the Vaqueros.
SBCC will host Hancock on Saturday at 1 p.m.

SBCC ……..…. 110 007 000 -- 9 10 2
Hancock …..... 000 100 030 -- 4 5 2
Joyce, Nieves (8), Perry (8) and White; Perez, Nyman (6), Dunsmore (8) and Young. W--Joyce 4-0. L--Perez 2-4.
2B--SB: Howell. H: Skillern.

Tuesday, March 15 -- SBCC at Ventura, 2:30 p.m. Ventura 6, SBCC 5 (10 inn.) Records: 8-10, 2-2

Ventura edges Vaqueros in 10
SBCC gives up 14 free passes in 6-5 road loss

SBCC outhit Ventura on Tuesday but couldn’t come up with timely hits as the Pirates rallied for a 6-5 WSC North win in 10 innings.
The Vaqueros (8-10, 2-2) led 1-0, 2-1 and went ahead 5-4 with three runs in the seventh. Each time, Ventura (5-11, 1-3) scored single runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.
Joey Epperson went 3-for-5 and had a two-run double in the seventh for SBCC, which outhit the Pirates 11-9. Colt McLaughlin was 3-4 with two runs scored.
Four Vaquero pitchers issued 14 walks and hit batters, giving the home team a multitude of extra chances.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Pirates loaded the bases on a double and two intentional walks sandwiched around a sacrifice bunt. With the bases loaded and one out, the Vaqueros had a five-man infield and the outfielders in close. Michael Abeloe won it with an RBI single to center.
The Vaqueros play a home-and-home with Hancock, traveling to Santa Maria on Thursday and hosted the Bulldogs on Saturday at 1 p.m.

(10 innings)
SBCC …...…. 110 000 300 0 -- 5 11 0
Ventura ….... 111 001 100 1 -- 6 9 0
Caraccioli, Dexter (3), Alvarez (7), Gunderson (7) and White; Babola, Yingling (8) and Boys. W--Yingling. L--Gunderson 1-3.
2B--SB: Epperson, McLaughlin. V: Gwynn. 3B--V: Luna.

Saturday, March 12 -- Ventura at SBCC, 1 p.m. SBCC 4, Ventura 0 Records: 8-9, 2-1 WSC North

Turnbull strikes out 13 in 4-0 shutout
He allows just 4 hits in second straight complete game

There was a familiar feel to SBCC’s 4-0 win over Ventura on Saturday at Pershing Park.
Kylin Turnbull tossed his second straight shutout and struck out 13 for the second consecutive time. The score was the same as his March 1 victory over El Camino when he allowed three hits and fanned 13.
On Saturday, he held Ventura to four hits and just one over the final seven innings, dropping his ERA to a miniscule 1.17. He retired the last 11 in order and 16 of the last 17.
SBCC (8-9, 2-1 WSC North) scored all its runs in the first two innings on an RBI single by Daniel Howell, a sacrifice fly by Joey Epperson and a two-run double in the second by Colt McLaughlin.
It was the second straight win and fourth in five games for the Vaqueros.
“Kylin threw the ball well,” said first-year coach Ryan Thompson. “He was downhill all day. He got in a little trouble in the early innings, then he settled down.
“We played sound defense behind him and he did it a lot of it on his own.”
Ventura got two runners on in each of the first three innings but Turnbull snuffed out each threat. The Pirates (4-11, 0-3) had runners on second and third with two outs in the third before Turnbull struck out Jared Zahorik on a 2-2 fastball.
Turnbull, a 6-4 sophomore left-hander, finished the game in two hours and five minutes. SBCC has two shutouts this year, both by Turnbull. Just two days earlier, teammate Chris Joyce struck out 16 in eight innings of a 5-1 win over Moorpark.
Turnbull fanned seven in the first four innings and had at least one strikeout in every inning.
Howell, the son of former Major Leaguer Roy Howell, singled in his first two at-bats and hit a screaming liner that was caught in right field.
“I was seeing the ball well,” said Howell, who bats in the No. 4 spot. “I was trying to stay back, keep my hands through the zone and trying to barrel it up.
“Our pitchers are doing an outstanding job, you can’t ask any more of them. They’re throwing strikes and hitting their spots.”
The Vaqueros travel to Ventura on Tuesday for a 2:30 p.m. game.

Ventura ……. 000 000 000 -- 0 4 1
SBCC ….….... 220 000 00x -- 4 7 1
Bristow, Yingling (6), Duffy (8) and Boys; Turnbull and White. W--Turnbull 2-1. L--Bristow.
2B--V: Gwynn. SB: McLaughlin.

Thursday, March 10 -- Moorpark at SBCC, 2 p.m. SBCC 5, Moorpark 1 Records: 7-9, 1-1

Joyce fans 16 in first WSC victory
White drills 2-run homer in 5-1 home win

Chris Joyce was quick and effective on Thursday, striking out 16 and allowing just two hits as SBCC earned its first WSC North baseball win with a 5-1 decision over Moorpark at Pershing Park.
The game took only two hours and 25 minutes.
Joyce, a 5-11 sophomore left-hander from Dos Pueblos High, went the first eight innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and two hit batters. He had a no-hitter for 4 1/3 innings until Bryce Daily turned one of his few mistakes into a solo homer in the fifth.
“My fastball was my best pitch, I was able to control it and put it where I wanted to,” said Joyce, who lowered his ERA to 1.73. “I had a good first inning and that’s usually my rough inning.”
SBCC’s Tommy White hit a two-run homer down the left-field line in the fourth to extend his team’s lead to 4-0.
“Tommy hit the ball hard today and we hope he can get back to the form he showed last year (when he hit .424),” said coach Ryan Thompson.
Pat Cavalier had a run-scoring double in the first inning for the Vaqueros (7-9, 1-1). Colt McLaughlin scored a run on a double play in the second and drove in the fifth run with a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Howell in the eighth.
The Raiders (6-9, 1-1) loaded the bases in the ninth against reliever DJ Gunderson on a walk, an error and a hit batter. Gunderson ended the two-out threat by getting John Travnick on a comebacker.
Joyce struck out leadoff hitter Michael Bonenfant four times, fanned the side twice and had four 1-2-3 innings.
“Our guys feel confident when Chris Joyce is throwing,” said Thompson. “For this level, he’s a very good pitcher. He has an array of pitches and he throws hard. The best part about Chris is he loves to compete.
“When he’s out there, there’s competition going on with every pitch. If we can learn anything from him, it’s that.”
The Vaqueros will host Ventura on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Moorpark …. 000 010 000 -- 1 2 2
SBCC ….….... 110 200 01x -- 5 7 3
Karp, Whitaker (8) and Travnick; Joyce, Gunderson (9) and White. W--Joyce 3-0. L--Karp.
2B--SB: Cavalier, McLaughlin. HR--M: Daily, 5th inn., none on. SB: White (1), 4th inn., one on.

Tuesday, March 8 -- SBCC at Moorpark, 2 p.m. Moorpark 10, SBCC 0 Records: 6-9, 0-1 WSC North

Vaqueros blanked in WSC opener
Four errors lead to 5 unearned runs in 10-0 loss

SBCC had more errors than hits on Tuesday and Moorpark took advantage to post a 10-0 victory in a WSC North baseball opener at Moorpark.
Landon Hunt (8 innings) and Michael Coats combined on a three-hitter for the Raiders (6-8, 1-0). Chad Caraccioli took the loss for the Vaqueros (6-9, 0-1), giving up five runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings.
SBCC committed four errors and Moorpark’s last five runs were unearned.
“We hit some balls hard early but Chad pitched from behind all day,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “Then, we botched a few double-play balls and fell apart in the field.”
The Vaqueros will host Moorpark on Thursday at 2 p.m.

SBCC …….... 000 000 000 -- 0 3 4
Moorpark …. 005 023 00x -- 10 9 0
Caraccioli, Morse (3), Dexter (6), Vasquez (8) and White, Trevino (8); Hunt, Coats (9) and Travnick. W--Hunt 3-1. L--Caraccioli 2-3.
2B--M: Robertson, Daily.

Thursday, March 3 -- SBCC at El Camino, 2 p.m. SBCC 7, El Camino 4 Record: 6-8

Cavalier sparks 7-4 victory
Joyce throws six-hitter in second straight win

Pat Cavalier went 2-3 with two runs, two walks and two RBIs on Thursday and Chris Joyce tossed the second straight complete game by an SBCC pitcher as the Vaqueros defeated El Camino 7-4 in a nonconference game in Torrance.
Cody Giordano was 3-5 with two stolen bases and Shay Maltese went 2-4 with a pair of RBIs. The Vaqueros (6-8) overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit to post back-to-back wins for the first time this year.
Joyce, a sophomore from Dos Pueblos High, gave up six hits and four runs but only one earned. He struck out eight and walked one. On Tuesday, Kylin Turnbull pitched a three-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in a 4-0 home win over El Camino.
SBCC scored two in the fourth and three in the sixth to take a 5-3 lead.
Leading 5-4 in the ninth, Giordano singled and following a sacrifice, Joey Epperson walked. The Vaqueros pulled off a double steal and Cavalier, a freshman from San Marcos, brought in both runs with a two-out double down the right-field line.
“We did a great job at the plate with two outs,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We had 17 two-out plate appearances that produced six hits, one walk and five RBIs. That was the difference in the game.”
Dan Howell also had two hits for the Vaqueros, who will open WSC North play on Tuesday at Moorpark.

SBCC ………..... 000 203 002 -- 7 10 3
El Camino ...…. 300 001 000 -- 4 6 2
Joyce and White; Vopinek, Patterson (7) and Flores. W--Joyce 2-0. L--Vopinek.
2B--SB: Maltese, Cavalier. EC: Cooper, Vopinek.

Tuesday, March 1 -- El Camino at SBCC, 2 p.m. SBCC 4, El Camino 0 Record: 5-8

Turnbull tosses three-hitter
Southpaw fans 13 in 4-0 shutout

SBCC left-hander Kylin Turnbull was dominant on Tuesday afternoon, blanking El Camino on three hits with 13 strikeouts in a 4-0 baseball victory at Pershing Park. It was the first shutout of the year for the Vaqueros (5-8) and snapped a six-game win streak by the Warriors (6-5).
Turnbull, a 6-4 sophomore from Hillsboro, Ore., struck out seven of the first nine batters and didn’t allow a hit until the sixth when Anthony Graham led off with an infield single.
“Kylin was in complete command,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “He came back from 2-0 and 3-0 counts and got a lot of outs. That shows he had the resolve to throw the pitches when he needed to.
“He was in the 88-91 (mph) range and that was perfect for him. He was still throwing 88 in the eighth which shows his stamina was there. From a mental standpoint, that’s the most focused we’ve seen him.”
Daniel Howell belted his second homer of the year, a two-run shot in the fifth that made it 5-0. Howell had three RBIs.
It was the first complete game and first shutout in Turnbull’s two-year career. He didn’t allow a ball to the outfield until a single in the ninth and got 10 ground-ball outs, including a pair of double plays.
Shortstop Shay Maltese was involved in nine outs, taking a flip from second baseman Andrew Smith for a double play to end the sixth. That duo combined with Howell at first base for a game-ending double play after El Camino loaded the bases.
“I felt pretty good,” said Turnbull, who picked a runner off first to end the third inning. “I was hitting my spots and keeping the ball low. When you do that, good stuff will happen.
“My fastball was working early in the count and then I’d put them away with my slider.”
SBCC scored its first two runs in the third when Cody Giordano and Robert Vickers singled, followed by a bunt from Joey Epperson, the No. 3 hitter. Giordano beat the throw home from the first baseman and Howell brought in the second run with a sacrifice fly to left.
“That was an unselfish play with our No. 3 hitter pushing a bunt down the first-base line,” said Thompson. “That’s the sign of a group that understands what it takes.”
The Vaqueros will play their third game in four days on Thursday when they go to Torrance for a rematch with El Camino at 2 p.m.

El Camino ……. 000 000 000 -- 0 3 2
SBCC ……….…. 002 020 00x -- 4 6 0
Pulido, Zambrano (8) and Flores; Turnbull and White. W--Turnbull 1-1. L--Pulido.
HR--SB: Howell (2), 5th inn., one on.

Monday, Feb. 28 -- Irvine Valley at SBCC, 1 p.m. Irvine Valley 2, SBCC 0 Record: 4-8

Fitzgerald blanks Vaqueros 2-0
Left-hander tosses 2-hitter for Irvine Valley

Sophomore left-hander Cody Fitzgerald threw a two-hit shutout on Monday at Pershing Park, leading Irvine Valley past SBCC 2-0 in a nonconference baseball game.
Fitzgerald struck out eight and walked just one. He had six 1-2-3 innings, including the ninth when he struck out two. He faced 30 batters, just three over the minimum.
It was the second win in five days for the Lasers (9-4) over the Vaqueros (4-8).
“Their pitcher did a real good job, he executed his plan,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We got in the batter’s box and didn’t execute our plan. We took our ability to compete and kind of flushed it down the toilet.
“If he’s staying away (with his pitches), you have to try to drive the ball that way. The wind was blowing and we needed to stay on top of the ball. Then we have seven flyouts. We didn’t put any pressure on them.”
Colt McLaughlin had an infield single in the third for Santa Barbara and Chito Elias had a line-drive single in the fifth.
Irvine scored a run in the second on when Sean Guite singled, Drew Williams doubled and Guite scored on a throwing error. In the fifth, the visitors loaded the bases on an error, a walk and a hit batter. Chad Caraccioli walked Guite on a 3-2 count, forcing in the second run.
Caraccioli allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings. He struck out five, walked two and hit two batters.
The Vaqueros will host El Camino on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Irvine Valley ….. 010 010 000 -- 2 6 1
SBCC …………... 000 000 000 -- 0 2 2
Fitzgerald and Almeida; Caraccioli, Alvarez (7) and White. W--Fitzgerzald 3-1. L--Caraccioli 2-2.
2B--IV: Williams.

Friday, Feb. 25 -- SBCC at Cypress, 1 p.m. SBCC 7, Cypress 3 Record: 4-7

Vaqueros overpower Cypress 7-3
Howell belts SBCC’s first homer in road win

SBCC used an 11-hit attack to down Cypress 7-3 on Friday in a nonconference game at Cypress.
Eli Michaels, Robert Vickers and Zach Pecyna all had two hits for the Vaqueros (4-7), who took a 4-0 lead in the second inning. They were up 4-3 in the fifth when Michaels walked and Tommy White reached on an error. After a groundout moved the runners up, Shay Maltese drilled an RBI single and White scored on an infield error to make it 6-3.
The Vaqueros had four extra-base hits, including the first homer of the year. Daniel Howell’s towering shot with two outs in the sixth made it 7-3. Vickers and Cody Giordano knocked in two runs apiece.
“We put better swings on the ball today,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We had two two-out rallies and we played sound defense.”
Left-hander Chris Joyce picked up his first win, allowing three runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked four. Colby Morse pitched the last three innings to notch his first save.
The Vaqueros will be home for their next two games against Irvine Valley (Monday, 1 p.m.) and El Camino (Tuesday, 2 p.m.).

SBCC ….….….. 040 021 000 -- 7 11 1
Cypress .……. 020 100 000 -- 3 10 3
Joyce, Morse (7) and White; Contreras, Haddock (7), Rocha (8) and Harong. W--Joyce 1-0. L--Contreras. S--Morse 1.
2B--SB: White, Giordano. C: Geiger. 3B--SB: Michaels. HR--SB: Howell (1), 6th inn., none on.

Thursday, Feb. 24 -- SBCC at Irvine Valley, 2 p.m. Irvine Valley 3, SBCC 2 Record: 3-7

Irvine Valley edges Vaqueros 3-2
Lasers prevail on unearned run in ninth

SBCC led 2-0 after two innings on Thursday at Irvine Valley but the Lasers came back and won it 3-2 on an unearned run with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Joey Epperson went 2-3 for the Vaqueros (3-7). Eli Michaels had an RBI single in the first and Shay Maltese delivered an RBI double in the second.
Irvine Valley (8-4) got single runs in the third and seventh to tie it. In the ninth, Anthony Almeida reached on an infield error and pinch-runner Robert Dey was sacrificed to second. Leadoff hitter Bryce Hara stroked a single to center for his third hit and Cody Giordano made a strong one-hop throw to the plate but the ball was dropped, allowing Dey to score the winning run.
Two days earlier, SBCC beat Long Beach 4-3 on a throwing error in the bottom of the ninth.
“I should have walked that guy in the ninth but we let him hit,” said SBCC coach Ryan Thompson. “Cody made a great throw to the plate. In the seventh, they called a balk on us that brought in the tying run.”
Kylin Turnbull pitched six-plus innings for SBCC, allowing two runs (one earned) with five strikeouts and one walk. Two Irvine pitchers held the Vaqueros to six hits.
“We had first and third in the sixth and we ground into a double play on a 3-0 count,” Thompson added. “We have to do better in those situations.”
The Vaqueros’ game on Friday at Cypress has been moved to 1 p.m. in an effort to avoid a potential rainstorm.

SBCC …………... 110 000 000 -- 2 6 3
Irvine Valley ….. 001 000 101 -- 3 9 4
Turnbull, Gunderson (7) and Trevino, White (7); Levine, Cates (8) and Almeida. W--Cates. L--Gunderson 1-2.
2B--SB: Maltese.

Tuesday, Feb. 22 -- Long Beach at SBCC, 2 p.m. SBCC 4, Long Beach 3 Record: 3-6

Vaqueros get first home win, 4-3
Three pitchers hold Long Beach to three singles

Three SBCC pitchers limited Long Beach City to three singles on Tuesday at Pershing Park and Chito Elias scored on a throwing error with two outs in the ninth to lift the Vaqueros to their first home baseball win of the season, 4-3.
Sophomore right-hander Chad Caraccioli went the first six innings, allowing three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and five walks. Colby Morse and winning pitcher DJ Gunderson didn’t allow a hit in the last three frames.
Elias reached on an infield single to open the bottom of the ninth and went to second when pinch-hitter Zach Pecyna was hit by a pitch. Cody Giordano reached on a forceout and Colt McLaughlin struck out for the second out. Joey Epperson hit a grounder to second base but the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag, giving SBCC the win.
Elias, McLaughlin and Daniel Howell all went 2-for-4 and scored a run for Santa Barbara (3-6), which won for the first time in seven home games.
“It was great to have a close game and come out on top,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We didn’t do it in the fashion we wanted to and we wasted some other opportunities to execute.”
Howell’s RBI single in the first staked the Vaqueros to a 1-0 lead. The Vikings (2-5) scored all three runs in the fourth on an RBI single, a wild pitch and a squeeze bunt by Derrick Garcia that brought home Seth Spears to make it 3-1.
SBCC got a run in the fourth on a double by Howell, a single by Joey Gonzalez and a dropped fly ball in right field. In the fifth, the Vaqueros got two runners on when Giordano reached on a fielder’s choice and McLaughlin was safe on a bunt single. When the runners tried to steal with two outs, the catcher threw the ball into center field, allowing Giordano to score the tying run.
SBCC loaded the bases in the seventh but failed to score when Epperson and Robert Vickers struck out. Only one of the Vaqueros’ runs was earned and they won despite striking out 12 times.
The Vaqueros travel to Irvine Valley on Thursday and Cypress on Friday.

Long Beach ….. 000 300 000 -- 3 3 4
SBCC …….……. 100 110 001 -- 4 9 2
Gallardo, Uyetake (7), Hernandez (9) and Ponce; Caraccioli, Morse (7), Gunderson (8) and Trevino, White (6). W--Gunderson 1-1. L--Hernandez.
2B--SBCC: Howell.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 -- L.A. Mission at SBCC, 2 p.m. Mission 6, SBCC 3 Record: 2-6

Vaqueros held to 5 hits in 6-3 loss
SBCC is 1-11 with runners in scoring position

Rigo Ramirez went 3-4 and scored two runs Tuesday, leading L.A. Mission to a 6-3 win over SBCC at Pershing Park.
The first four batters collected nine of the Eagles' 14 hits and scored four times. Four pitchers held the Vaqueros to five hits and struck out 10.
SBCC (2-6) fell to 0-6 at home after going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
“We didn’t take advantage of our opportunities and didn’t swing the bats like we have in the last four or five games,” said coach Ryan Thompson.
The Eagles jumped ahead 4-1 after three innings. Joey Epperson drove in SBCC’s run with an RBI double in the first. Both of Mission’s runs in the third were unearned after third baseman Pat Cavalier threw it over the catcher’s head on a bunt, allowing two runners to score.
Cavalier had two hits. Epperson and White doubled for the second straight day.
Mission improved to 5-1 with the only loss coming to SBCC by a 5-4 count on Feb. 8 in Sylmar. Only two of their six runs were earned.
Daniel Nieves allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits in the first 3 2/3 innings and got the loss. Chris Joyce, a former Dos Pueblos High star, made his Vaquero debut in the seventh. The left-hander didn’t allow a run over the last three innings, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
SBCC loaded the bases in the second and seventh but got just one run when Shay Maltese scored on a passed ball with two outs in the seventh. As the dark clouds gathered in the ninth, Zach Pecyna and Epperson reached on a walk and hit-by-pitch, respectively, but the Vaqueros went down 1-2-3 with the last two batters striking out.
“It felt like a general malaise,” said Thompson. “We didn’t play with the passion I expect and that’s on me. I have to do a better job of getting them ready to play.”

L.A. Mission …… 202 020 000 -- 6 13 1
SBCC ………….… 100 000 110 -- 3 5 2
Muesborn, Bernardino (6), Garcia (7), Mott (8) and J. Almendarez; Nieves, Alvarez (4), Joyce (7) and White. W--Muesborn. L--Nieves 0-1.
2B--LAM: R. Almendarez 2, Rowley. SB: Epperson, White.

Monday, Feb. 14 -- SBCC at Antelope Valley, 2 p.m. SBCC 8, Antelope Valley 1 Record: 2-5

Howell belts three doubles in 8-1 win
Sophomore goes 4-4 with three RBIs

Daniel Howell had a perfect day at the plate and Chad Caraccioli pitched seven strong innings Monday afternoon as SBCC cruised past Antelope Valley 8-1 in a nonconference game in Lancaster.
Howell, a 6-4 sophomore from Shell Beach, went 4-for-4 with three doubles, three RBIs, two stolen bases and a walk. Joey Epperson was 3-5 with a double, three runs scored and a stolen base.
“We were hitting the ball right on the button,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “We had a couple of long drives caught near the 400-foot sign.”
SBCC (2-5) is 2-0 on the road and 0-5 at home this season.
Caraccioli (2-0) held the Marauders (2-5) to one run over seven innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. DJ Gunderson and Dylan Prokop each pitched an inning of scoreless relief.
The Vaqueros took a 4-1 lead into the ninth and loaded the bases with two outs. Epperson’s fly ball to left field was dropped, bringing in two unearned runs. After Robert Vickers walked, Howell drilled a two-run double to the fence in left-center.
The Vaqueros have two home games this week against L.A. Mission (Tuesday) and Irvine Valley (Friday). Tuesday’s game starts at 2 p.m. with Friday’s first pitch set for 1 p.m.

Box Score

SBCC ……………..….. 001 002 014 -- 8 12 1
Antelope Valley …… 000 001 000 -- 1 10 1
Caraccioli, Gunderson (8), Prokop (9) and White, Trevino (9); Myas, Underwood (6), Smith (9) and Brummer. W--Caraccioli 2-1. L--Myas.
2B--SB: White, Howell 3, Epperson. AV: Alvarado. 3B--SB: Giordano. AV: Gutierrez, Ninemeth.

Saturday, Feb. 12 -- Saddleback at SBCC (DH), 11 a.m. Saddleback 4-9, SBCC 3-7 Record: 1-5

Vaqueros drop two to Saddleback
Four errors hurt the cause in 2nd game

Saddleback built a 4-0 lead in the first game on Saturday at Pershing Park, then held on for a 4-3 victory over SBCC. In the nightcap, the Gauchos (4-2) rallied from an early 5-0 deficit and beat the Vaqueros 9-7, thanks to Dylan Christenson’s two-run homer in the eighth.
Santa Barbara (1-5) scored single runs in the sixth, eighth and ninth of the opener. Pinch-hitter Daniel Howell drove in Zach Pecyna with a two-out single to make it 4-3 and Cody Giordano followed with another single. But Colt McLaughlin flied out to third base to end the game.
In the second game, SBCC opened with three straight infield singles and had five hits during a five-run first-inning uprising. Robert Vickers drove in two with a bases-loaded single and Shay Maltese had a two-run double.
Saddleback tied it with five unearned runs in the fourth but SBCC regained the lead at 7-5 on a two-run single by Howell in the fifth. The Vaqueros couldn’t make two routine plays in the seventh, leading to a run, and Dylan Christensen belted a two-run homer in the eighth to put the visitors from Mission Viejo ahead to stay.
Only three of Saddleback’s nine runs were earned. SBCC got two singles in the ninth but couldn’t score.
The Vaqueros play at Antelope Valley on Monday.

  First Game
Saddleback ….. 300 010 000 -- 4 12 2
SBCC ……….…. 000 001 011 -- 3   8 1
Nuno, Wylie (8), Witt (8), DuPont (8), Kuehn (9) and Gore, Huntzinger (8); Turnbull, Alvarez (7) and White. W--Nuno. L--Turnbull 0-1. S--DuPont.
2B--S: Pugmire 2.

   Second Game
Saddleback ….. 000 500 121 -- 9 11 0
SBCC ……….…. 500 020 000 -- 7 10 4
Murphy, Castellano (1), DuPont (4), Christensen (5) and Jensen, Gore (8); Morse, Gunderson (7), Perry (7) and White. W--Christensen 1-0. L--Perry 0-1.
2B--S: Kabeary, Paradise. SB: Maltese. HR--S: Christensen, 8th inn., one on.

Tuesday, Feb. 8 -- SBCC at L.A. Mission, 2 p.m. SBCC 5, L.A. Mission 4 Record: 1-3

Vaqueros edge Mission for first win
Caraccioli pitches 1-run ball for 7 innings

Chad Caraccioli gave up just one run in seven innings on Tuesday and SBCC held on for a 5-4 win at L.A. Mission in Sylmar.
It was the first win of the season for the Vaqueros (1-3), who scored four times in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Joey Epperson had a two-run double and Colt McLaughlin added a two-run single.
“We played well with no errors,” said first-year coach Ryan Thompson. “And we hit the ball on the screws all day.”
Caraccioli (1-1) allowed one run on six hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
Robert Vickers turned two double plays at third base for SBCC, which gave up three runs in the eighth. After Daniel Nieves allowed four straight hits, Anthony Perry came on and quelled the threat with a pair of strikeouts and a popup. He also struck out two in the ninth to earn his first save.
Cody Giordano went 2-4 with a stolen base and Zach Pecyna drove in the first run with a groundout in the second.
The Vaqueros have a home doubleheader against Saddleback on Saturday at 11 a.m.

SBCC …….……. 010 040 000 -- 5 9 0
L.A. Mission …. 001 000 030 -- 4 11 0
Caraccioli, Nieves (8), Perry (8) and White; Alvarez, Young (5), Kaid (7) and Almendarez. W--Caraccioli 1-1. L--Alvarez 1-1.
2B--SB: Epperson, White. LAM: Almendarez 2.

Saturday, Feb. 5 -- Cabrillo at SBCC (DH), 11 a.m. Cabrillo 4-6, SBCC 3-0 Record: 0-3

Bats go cold in doubleheader loss
Cabrillo downs Vaqueros 4-3 and 6-0

Cabrillo’s starting pitchers held SBCC to three runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts on Saturday in a doubleheader sweep at Pershing Park. The scores of the nonconference games were 4-3 and 6-0.
The Vaqueros (0-3) took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the sixth inning of the opener. Joey Gonzalez reached on an error, Tommy White singled and Gonzales scored on another infield error. Designated hitter Eli Michaels drove in White with an RBI single.
The Seahawks (3-0) took advantage of two Vaquero errors to score twice in the seventh. Kevin Rojko’s two-out, pinch-hit RBI double tied it at 3-3.
Cabrillo took a 4-3 lead in the eighth on two walks and a throwing error.
SBCC loaded the bases in the ninth on singles by Michaels and Pat Cavalier, followed by a two-out walk to pinch-hitter Cody Giordano but couldn’t push the tying run across.
White, Michaels and Cavalier all had two hits in the first game.
“We had opportunities for timely hits in both games,” said coach Ryan Thompson. “They got it done and we didn’t.
“We’re not pitching to where we think we can pitch and our offense is far below our expectations.”
Sophomore left-hander Kylin Turnbull went seven innings in the opener, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with eight strikeouts, including four looking. “That’s the longest outing of his college career and he’s going to get better,” said Thompson.
In the nightcap, three pitchers held the Vaqueros to two singles in the first eight innings. Zach Pecyna’s pinch-hit double in the ninth was SBCC’s only extra-base hit of the day.
Cabrillo, a Northern California team from Aptos, homered in each game and also had six doubles.
The Vaqueros travel to Sylmar to take on L.A. Mission on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

First Game
Cabrillo ….. 000 010 210 -- 4 5 4
SBCC …….. 000 102 000 -- 3 7 4
T. Toccalino, Genovese (6), Hennessey (9) and Ohmann; Turnbull, Caraccioli (8) and White. W--Genovese 1-0. L--Caraccioli 0-1.
2B--C: Schlie, Rojko. HR--C: Ohmann (1), 5th inn., none on.

Second Game
Cabrillo ….. 020 000 040 -- 6 9 0
SBCC …….. 000 000 000 -- 0 3 2
Rodriguez, Machado (6), Evans (8), Fuentes (9) and Austin, Mell (9); Dexter, Perry (4), Gunderson (8), Alvarez (8) and White, Trevino (9). W--Rodriguez 1-0. L--Dexter 0-1.
2B--C: Hatch, Masik, Davis, Horton. SB: Pecyna. HR--C: Austin (1), 2nd inn., one on.

Friday, Feb. 4 -- Cabrillo at SBCC, 2 p.m. Cabrillo 9, SBCC 8 Record: 0-1

Errors hurt Vaqueros in 9-8 loss
They give up six unearned runs in season opener

SBCC battled back to take the lead in Friday’s season opener at Pershing Park but couldn’t overcome six errors in a 9-8 loss to Cabrillo.
The visitors from Aptos scored six unearned runs on the Vaquero miscues. The Seahawks jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning, fueled by a three-run homer from Joe Davis, and led 7-3 after 6½ innings.
The Vaqueros went ahead 8-7 after a five-run seventh inning. Robert Vickers, a former Dos Pueblos High star who batted leadoff, drew a walk and Zach Pecyna was hit by a pitch. Tommy White and Colt McLaughlin delivered RBI singles and Chito Elias added a two-out run-scoring hit to left. Pat Cavalier, a freshman third baseman from San Marcos, tied the game at 8 with an RBI double and Elias scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
McLaughlin was 3-5 with two runs scored and Vickers and Elias added two hits apiece.
Cabrillo tied the game on Justin Schlie’s RBI single in the eighth and went ahead 9-8 on a throwing error in the ninth. McLaughlin singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and pinch-runner Cody Giordano got to third on a passed ball and stolen base. Elias walked but the game ended when Cavalier struck out.
“We battled but we didn’t control the controllable,” said Ryan Thompson after his first game as SBCC’s head coach. “You can only make less errors if you’re into it from a mental standpoint. We played a little tentative in the field and that’s something we have to improve on.
“The positive part was that we fought back, took the lead and had a chance at the end.”
Colby Morse, a 6-5 sophomore right-hander, allowed six runs (two earned), struck out five and walked two in his first start for the Vaqueros.
“When you come back on a team and you don’t shut the door, you allow them to feel good about themselves,” said Thompson. “We have a long way to go. I think we’ll be playing much better a few months from now.”

Cabrillo ….. 400 002 111 -- 9 8 2
SBCC ….…. 020 010 500 -- 8 10 6
Morgan, Rodriguez (7), Hennessey (8) and Ohmann; Morse, Nieves (7), Gunderson (8) and White. W--Hennessey 1-0. L--Gunderson 0-1.
2B--C: Ohmann. SBCC: Epperson, Cavalier. HR--C: Davis (1), 1st inn., two on.

Baseball

2011 Game Stories