The Chargers scored six runs in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. Evan Rolbiecki’s go-ahead grand slam was the difference in a close game.
The first six innings was a pitcher’s duel between the Chargers Tommy McGuire and the Hornets Julian Castro. McGuire went six innings while giving up one run. Castro went 6 ⅓ innings and gave up three runs.
Each team scored one run in the first inning. Cypress Justin Tillar grounded into a double play ball with the bases loaded to make 1-0. In the bottom half of the inning, Fullerton’s Dillon Anderson drove in the first run with a two-out RBI single to right field making it 1-1.
“I was just attacking first pitch. I knew runner in scoring position wanted to get him home. That was the goal and I did it,” said Anderson.
The highlight of the game was the Hornets starting pitcher Castro. Castro pitched out of a first inning and fifth inning jam with the bases loaded in both innings.
The first inning started with two walks and a base hit to left. With the bases loaded and no outs, Castro was able to work out of it with a ground ball double play which scored a run. That was followed by a groundout to the shortstop to end the inning.
This was after Nate Pone made a visit to Castro on the mound with the bases loaded. “Even though my misses were down, they were good misses. Attack inside on the guy that came up, and that’s what I did,” said Castro. “Got the double play. For the rest of the inning just the same thing, keep attacking, letting my stuff do what it does and keep going from there.”
In the top of the fifth inning, Cypress took the lead with a Travis Curry sacrifice fly to center field. The Chargers had a rally going with two-outs. Rally started with an infield single, followed by a fielding error, then a walk to load the bases. Head Coach Mike Baum made a visit to the mound to check on Castro.
The next batter flew out to center field to get out of another jam and keep the score 2-1. “Coach was telling me to trust my pitches. Have them pitch the way I’ve been doing, keeping it down and sinking the ball. Attack in on the guy and that’s what we did and executed and found a way to get out of it,” said Castro.
In the top of the seventh inning, the Chargers scored one run with Castro on the mound. After an infield hit and a diving catch by Diego Vasquez at shortstop, Baum decided to make a pitching change. Castro faced two batters and recorded one out before exiting the game.
“He did a great job. I didn’t think he had his best stuff today. He competed very well which is all we ask of our players. He was able to keep a good offense team at bay. Did get some help from his defense at times, he bend but didn’t break,” said Baum.
With one out and a runner on first, pitcher Joel Sanchez struck out the next batter. With two-outs, Rolbiecki drove in the third run of the game for Cypress with an RBI double to left. That made it 3-1 in favor of Cypress.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Cypress made a pitching change and that is when the Hornet bats woke up. The rally started with a leadoff walk from Vasquez. After a strikeout, Pone got on base with a single to right field. Vasquez was able to go first to third on the hit. Pone stole second base on the following pitch to make it second and third with one out. After a strikeout and an intentional walk, up came Jake Starr with the bases loaded and two-outs.
Starr on 1-2 count hit one up the middle for a two-run RBI single to tie the game at 3-3. “I had a chance to do a job for my team there. They walked the bases loaded for me and I took that personal. They thought Trevor (Schmidt) would get it done and I wouldn’t. So I got it done right there, and stuck to the middle, stuck to my approach,” said Starr.
That was followed by Anderson’s single to left. Schmidt was able to score on the fielding error which gave Fullerton a 4-3 lead. Then Luke Viola drove in the fifth run with an RBI single to center as part of a four run seventh inning.
In the top of the eighth inning, Cypress came back with six runs of their own. Tillar started the rally with a leadoff double. After a Fullerton pitching change, Luke Matlock walked. That was followed by a flyout to left field and a strikeout swinging. Then an infield single loaded the bases with two-outs. Hornets pitcher Manny Lopez walked in the game-tying run making it 4-4.
The Chargers tied the game at 5-5 with an infield RBI single from Ty Peters. Rolbiecki smashed a go-ahead grand slam home run to left field giving Cypress a 9-5 lead. In the bottom of the eighth inning, pinch runner Ben Carter scored on an errant pickoff throw at third base.
In the top of the ninth inning, Cypress added an insurance run with a leadoff walk and two fielding errors. Nate Norman grounded out to first base for an RBI making it 10-6.
“Bottom line is the game would be over if we get a comebacker, or we don’t walk the nine hitter, or make three errors, and we did. We keep constantly doing that so we have to understand we’re going to lose, or we understand that we can make this adjustment and win a lot of ball games,” said Baum.
Fullerton will face Cypress College again, in the second game of a three game series on Thursday, March 6, at 2 p.m.
