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Los Angeles Valley Upends Santa Ana, 6-5
SANTA ANA, CA - Santa Ana College dropped its second consecutive non-conference baseball game as visiting Los Angeles Valley College (11-12) scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning and held on for a 6-5 win, Thursday.
The Dons (15-6-1) fell behind early as the Monarchs scored four times in the opening frame on five hits and a hit batter off Santa Ana starter Matthew Freeman who was making just his second start of the season. Freeman bounced back over the next five innings and limited Los Angeles Valley to just two hits while retiring 12 in a row at one point. The freshman allowed four earned runs on seven hits and two hit batters in six innings of work. He struck out three and walked none.
Freeman, who earned a no decision, was out dueled by the Monarchs' Eddie Baeza who improved to 4-0 after tossing a complete-game eight hitter. Baeza, who was staked to a 4-0 lead, limited the Dons to just one run and two hits over the first six innings before giving up four straight hits to start the seventh inning which led to three runs. He struck out nine and walked just one.
Rick Taloa cut the Monarchs' lead to 4-2 with a solo home run to left-center to lead off the seventh. After singles by CJ Rice and Tyler Greer, Brett Siegmund made it a 4-3 game with an RBI-single to center that plated Rice from third. The Dons tied the game when Matt Davidson, who was pinch running for Greer, scored when Siegmund was caught in a rundown between first and second.
Los Angeles Valley broke the 4-4 tie on Chris Cervantes' single to left of Santa Ana reliever Elliot Tyson (1-1) in the top of ninth with one out that scored Josh Cliffords from second. Cervantes, who took second on play, made it 6-4 when he scored on Derek Walkers' slow rolling single into center one out later. Tyson suffered the loss giving up two runs on three hits.
Taloa made it 6-5 with his second solo home run and 12th of the year to lead off the bottom of the ninth, but Baeza struck out the next three Dons to give the Monarchs the win. Taloa finished the game 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. Brett Siegmund and Jimmy Waninger also had two hits for Santa Ana. Siegmund finishing 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.
On Deck: Friday, March 25 vs Cerritos College at 2 p.m. |
