Despite the rain, the Hornets redeemed themselves and won 11-3 on March 21 against the Saddleback Gauchos after a three-game series loss against Riverside City College.
The game started off with an easy three strikeouts by starting pitcher, Garret Molnar.
“Molnar is a bulldog, he gets the ball and he goes out there and gets it done. He started off slow but not that bad” said head coach Nick Viscardo.
In the bottom of the second, freshman outfielder Chase Kerr, who went 5-for-2, hit a single and stole second base but then led to him advancing to third base due to an overthrow.
Bottom of the second, The Hornets got their first run in when freshman catcher Jesse Hayes, who went 3-for-1, hit a triple run batted in (RBI) that led Kerr to home, making the score 1-0.
“Jesse Hayes scored a big run for us. He’s really good for us” said Viscardo.
As the inning progressed, sophomore infielder Todd Yost, who went 2-for-2, hit an RBI single adding another run for the team, advancing the lead 2-0. The inning ended with a double play.
By the top of the third inning, The Gauchos kept scoreless with an out at first base, a foul ball caught by Zanze and an effortless strikeout pitched by Molnar.
But things quickly heated up when The Hornets were up to bat.
Centerfielder Joey Parente, who went 5-for-2, started off the bottom of the third inning with a single, and with a bad pitch thrown by Gauchos’ freshman Travis Willis, Zanze was hit allowing him to get on base, advancing Parente to second.
As Kerr was at bat he hit a double RBI to left field driving in Parente and Zanze home which furthered the Hornet’s lead 4-0.
The momentum continued when sophomore infielder Todd Yost hit a single to left field and advanced to second due to an error and had two RBIs. Kerr and Zanze then both scored, which solidified their lead 6-0.
With the Hornets dominating, sophomore catcher Ben Robinson reached first on an error, leading Yost home making their lead 7-0.
As the rain continued to fall, freshman outfielder Thomas Delgadillo hit a single to right field which led to a double RBI. Sophomore infielder Daniel Tuerffs then scored upping the lead 8-0.
The inning continued when Zanze hit a single to right center and hit a double RBI, which led freshman second baseman Ryan Aguirre home. Delgadillo then hit a single to the right side which led Tuerffs and Robinson home, the Hornets finished the inning leading 10-0.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Gauchos began with a strong offense, with a base hit by right-handed freshman Brett Auerbach, and a double by freshman first baseman Jason Allen.
As the rain grew stronger, freshman outfielder Ulumano Farm hit a double on an error allowing their first run of the game making the score,10-1.
As the top of the eighth progressed The Gauchos scored two more runs which advanced the score 10-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, freshman infielder Aaron Lizarraga hit to right center which led Parente home and ended the game 11-3.
The Hornets are 2-5 in the Orange Empire Conference and 12-11 overall.
The Hornets continue the three-game series on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Saddleback College.