What was set up to become a fierce, high-scoring battle to advance to Super Regionals, turned into a low scoring, defensive, but still nerve-wracking victory for the Hornets over the Lancers. In the final game of a sweep for Fullerton on Saturday, May 4, at home, the Hornets beat the Lancers 3-1.
Freshman first baseman Trevor Schmidt was key for the Hornets’ defense. He made great plays on multiple ground outs from Pasadena hitters, including two line outs in the bottom of the ninth inning that earned him applause from the pro-Fullerton crowd. “I thought it was really good for our team,” said Schmidt. “It changed the momentum, because the last inning of every elimination game is always the hardest inning to win, so I really changed the momentum, and gave our pitcher confidence.”
Aside from the stellar defense, offense was a struggle, as the Hornets (25-17) were unable to scratch a run across the scoreboard until the fourth inning. The play started as sophomore Ryan Kirk hit a single up the middle and then advanced to second base after sophomore infielder Landon Runge got a base knock off of Lancers freshman pitcher Joe Bacon.
Looking to capitalize with the OEC MVP at the plate, both Runge and Kirk quickly stole second and third base. Schmidt topped the bold strategy with a cherry on top as he smashed the ball through the left side, allowing for Kirk and Runge to score.
The Lancers (23-18) response was swift, and in the fifth inning sophomore infielder Jaden Guzman slammed a single through to center field. He then scored Pasadena City’s only run of the game thanks to an impressive triple driven to right center field off the bat of freshman second baseman Bryan Richman. Freshman Tyler Garcia grounded out to shortstop, making it the third out of the inning and leaving Richman stranded on third.
The run by Pasadena seemed to provoke a pitching change on the Fullerton side. Hornets manager Chad Baum brought out sophomore right-handed pitcher Andrew Carren from the bullpen for sophomore left-handed pitcher Vincent Segovia during a mound visit.
“It was just the right time, with the right match-ups. Andrew has been really good, but it was just the right situation,” said Baum.
Since Segovia was one out from completing five innings of work, he could not be the pitcher of record. That would go to Carren, as he secured the win. He pitched for four-and-a-third innings, allowing only one hit, no walks, and three strikeouts as he finished the game.
The game remained very close throughout with only a very thin lead for the Hornets. “All these gentlemen had been playing since five and six years old, so this is not the first time that they played in a close game,” said Baum. “We do not really look at the score, we just do our job.”
Not much action happened offensively, until the eighth inning, when Fullerton scored the last run of the game. Freshman outfielder Noah Rodrigez walked and then went from first to third on a single from sophomore catcher Andrew Pyle.
Runge came up to the dish with two outs, looking to give the Hornets some insurance. The sophomore did just that, as he singled easily to right field, driving in Rodrigez. A groundout from Schmidt left Pyle on second base in scoring position.
The heart of the Hornets’ lineup was completely shut down in the last inning, as all three hitters sophomore outfielder Britton Beeson, sophomore outfielder Diego Franco and sophomore outfielder Rudy Gonzalez went down in order. The Lancers brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth following a single from freshman first baseman Adrian Roman. PCC freshman catcher Evan Nahara, with the game on the line, hit a measly tapper to the pitcher, who tagged first and secured the two game sweep for the Hornets.
The Hornets will now spend the weekend at Los Angeles Valley College for Super Regionals. The teams at the LA Valley Super Regional are Fullerton, Saddleback, and LA Valley. The Hornets’ first game will start at 12 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 against Saddleback.
Super Regionals work in a double elimination format. The loser of Fullerton and Saddleback will have to play two games in a row and face the host LA Valley on Thursday. If a team loses two games Thursday, their season is over. The two teams left standing will then essentially play a best-of-three series on Friday and Saturday. When Fullerton meets the Monarchs of LA Valley, it will be a rematch of last year’s thrilling Super Regional that was hosted at Fullerton College. The Hornets won that best-of-three series 2-1 in 2023.
