Long Beach jumped ahead of visiting SBCC 10-0 in the first game and 9-0 in the second on Saturday en route to a baseball sweep at Joe Hicks Memorial Field. The scores were 10-3 and 9-5.
The Vaqueros (11-5) committed seven errors in the nonconference twinbill. Long Beach improved to 7-6.
“We took a step backward on the mound and on defense,” said coach Teddy Warrecker. “We hurt ourselves in a couple of innings (in the first game) and didn’t pitch effectively.”
Starter Joe McGrew gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Danny Martony was sharp in relief, holding the Vikings scoreless in the last three innings with three strikeouts.
Corey Krupp went 2-4 with an RBI in the opener.
In the second game, SBCC starter Connor Whalen gave up four runs on two hits and four walks and didn’t get out of the first inning. Chad Caraccioli pitched 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and striking out three.
“We swung the bat well but didn’t have any luck,” noted Warrecker.
The Vaqueros scored five times in the seventh inning, highlighted by Barrett Ceverha’s three-run pinch-hit double and an RBI single by Steven Keller.
SBCC won only one of five road games for the week, despite being outscored by just six runs, 36-30.
“It was a long week of baseball for a freshman-dominated team,” said Warrecker. “We can definitely pitch better and play more aggressively.”
Santa Barbara opens WSC play with a road game at Oxnard on Thursday and a 1 p.m. home game against Oxnard on Saturday.
First Game
SBCC …………………. 000 001 101 — 3 8 4
Long Beach ………. 101 440 00x — 10 10 2
McGrew, Peterson (4), Coonen (4), Martony (6) and Keller; Mitrosilis, Peltier (8), De La Paz (9) and Smith. W–Mitrosilis. L–McGrew.
2B–SB: Cooper, Chavez, Bauman. LB: Hernandez, Costin, Trev, Keener, Jona.
Second Game
SBCC …………………. 000 000 500 — 5 7 3
Long Beach ……….. 404 001 00x — 9 9 1
Whalen, Pellici (1), Caraccioli (4), Edgington (8) and Gregory, Keller (6); Smith, Niebla (7), Dorsey (8), Hiller (9) and Keener. W–Smith. L–Whalen.
2B–SB: Ceverha. LB: Keener, Iribe, Loard. 3B–SB: Bauman.
Records–SBCC 11-5. LBCC 7-6.
