After a slow start the Hornets fought back for the come from behind victory over RCC Thursday afternoon, inching their way closer to securing a playoff spot.

“My starting pitcher wasn’t on his game today, he got a little dizzy out there,” said Fullerton Head Coach Nick Fuscardo. “The great thing about this team is that we don’t panic.”

The game got off to a rocky start in the first inning when Fullerton starting pitcher Anthony Parente gave up three runs. He went on to give up one more run before he left the game in the third.

Fuscardo replaced Parente with freshman Dylan DeChaves.

The Hornet bats came alive in the fourth inning. After bringing in their first run of the game, they kept the momentum on their side. David Miranda started with a single to right field, Andrew Piriaino walked and Brett Halasz hit a single past the shortstop to load the bases.

Justin Row stepped up and delivered for the Hornets, hitting the ball over the left field wall for a grand slam.

The Hornets continued the offensive onslaught when Miranda, who was at bat for the second time in the inning, hit a RBI single giving the Hornets a 6-4 lead after four innings.

“This team is the most offensive team that I’ve had in 30 years,” said Fuscardo

This proved to be true when the Hornets added 4 runs split evenly the next two innings, giving the Hornets a 10-3 lead heading into the seventh.

The Tigers gave a the Hornets a scare in the seventh though, scoring 3 runs of their own, but couldn’t get anything else going after that.

In the weeks ahead the Hornets will be facing challenging teams in their search for the top seed in the upcoming CCCAA playoffs, including one more game in their series with RCC.

The Hornets will take on struggling Irvine Valley College in their next series, then the second place Hornets will take on first place Saddleback College with the Orange Empire Conference title on the line.

“We want to sweep at Irvine so we can go into Saddleback with no more than one game out, if we’re two games out that means we will have to sweep the series, which we can do but it’s tough because they have really good pitchers,” said Fuscardo.

Fullerton (22-7, 10-4) will be on the road Saturday to decide the series with RCC. First pitch is scheduled for noon.