BASEBALL: BIG WET WIN

The FC baseball team welcomed Saddleback College to the Hornets Nest in the rain on Tuesday and brought down the Gauchos 11-3.

Like the rain, the Fullerton win was needed after dropping three-straight OEC games to Riverside City College last week.

The win gives the Hornets an overall record of 12-11 overall and 2-5 in the Orange Empire Conference. The Gaucho loss lands them at 14-9 overall and 2-5 in the OEC.

Fullerton scored the game's first two runs in the second inning. Jesse Hayes knocked one to right center field for a triple scoring Chase Kerr. Then, Todd Yost hit one through the right side bringing Hayes home.

FC struck again in the third inning dropping eight more runs on Saddleback to go up 10-0. Chase Kerr doubled to left scoring Joey Parente. Todd Yost hit a single that got through the left side scoring Kerr and John Zanze. Ben Robinson got on base on an error giving Yost the chance to score. Thomas Delgadillo hit a single to the right side scoring Daniel Tuerffs and Robinson.

Saddleback got on the board with three runs in the eighth inning. An FC throwing error gave Brett Auerbach the chance to cross home plate. Zack Bowman hit a SAC Fly to left field allowing Jason Allen to score. Jordan Fitzgerald singled up the middle brining in Ryan Pena.

The Hornets added one more run in the eighth on a shot to right center by Aaron Lizarraga that brought in Joey Parente.

FC starter Garrett Molnar (2-3) earned the win throwing a 7-inning-gem with no runs scored, 6 hits against, 8 strikeouts (4 looking), and 1 walk.

Thomas Delgadillo (3-5), Chase Kerr (2-5), Joey Parente (2-5), Todd Yost (2-2), and John Zanze (2-3), all had multi-hit games as the Hornets went on to total 15 hits on the day.

Up Next: The Hornets (12-11 overall, 2-5 OEC) will play at Saddleback College this Thursday, March 23rd for game two of the three-game OEC series. Game time is at 2:00 pm.

*Photo by Ricardo Zapata