The Pasadena City College baseball team broke a 5-5 tie with three runs in the eighth inning to defeat state #10-ranked Golden West, 8-6, in a non-conference game Wednesday at Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Field.
After Golden West tied it with a 2-run double in the top of the frame by Roman Meyers, PCC began its rally. With one out, Isaac Ton singled to center, then Omar Cisneros drew a walk. Lefty-batting leadoff hitter Bryan Richman launched a drive over the rightfielder's head that scored Ton for a long RBI single plus a throwing error that advanced the runners to second and third.
Adrian Roman's fielder's choice turned into a run on a first base throwing error to home on a sliding Cisneros. Tyler Garcia was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the third run and an 8-6 advantage.
Matt Garcia, who got out of a bases loaded jam in relief during the seventh, recovered from a rough eighth, getting out of another jam in the ninth. The righty closer loaded the bases on two hits and a hit-by-pitch but managed to retire the last two Rustlers' batters on fly ball outs to move his record to 3-0.
Winners of three straight, the unranked Lancers improved to 13-7 while Golden West dropped to 15-9.
Richman batted 3-for-4 with three runs scored, Ton and Devon Eskridge each were 2-for-4, Joaquin Salcedo hit a double off the center field fence, and Roman added a RBI single in the first.
PCC's starting pitching continues to receive big starts and this was no different as Hugo Tafoya struck out nine batters, allowing six hits, two earned runs, while walking four as he left with a 5-3 lead after six innings. In the second, Golden West touched him for two runs. With the bases loaded and no outs, he proceeded to sandwich two strikeouts with a fielder's choice grounder that shortstop Richman recorded the out at home that kept the Rustlers from adding further damage at that point, up just 2-1.
GWC got a 4-for-4 day from Cole Belfanti.
On Friday, March 21, PCC plays another tough Orange Empire Conference team-state #5 Riverside City-in a 1 p.m. contest.
