Tigers Take First Game of Series with Chargers

Riverside City College got a crucial Orange Empire Conference series off to a good start with a 4-2 victory over Cypress College Tuesday.

The Tigers – who are battling for a spot in the postseason – improve to 25-13 overall and 10-9 in conference, while the Chargers slip to 21-16-1 on the year, 7-12 in the OEC.

Five Tigers had hits in the game, with Alex Gamez, Arturo Rodriguez, and Gage Gonzales each knocking two. Eddie Alfaro and Dylan Nelson also had hits for RCC.

Jordan Townley picked up the win on the mound for Riverside, throwing four strikeouts and allowing just one run. Alex Navarrete grabbed a save after throwing 3.1 innings, scattering three hits and allowing one run.

Riverside took advantage of two Charger mistakes in the bottom of the second to get on the board first. Parker Sobiesiak struck out swinging, but the ball got past the Cypress catcher, allowing Sobiesiak to get to first safely. Logan Ortega joined him on base after the second baseman committed an error, giving the Tigers two runners on with no outs.

Rodriguez stepped up to the plate and blasted a double down the left-field line to score both runners before Cypress could get out of the inning.

Rodriguez grabbed another RBI in the third with a single to score Nelson, before Alfaro capped the scoring for the Tigers with an RBI single to right center in the bottom of the sixth.

The Tigers and Chargers continue the series on Thursday at 2 p.m. at Cypress.