McGrew gets Vaqueros a series win with Solano

Joe McGrew tossed four-hit ball for eight innings on Friday, helping SBCC earn a nonconference baseball split with Solano at Pershing Park. The Falcons won the first game 6-5 while the Vaqueros took the nightcap 7-3.

McGrew, a 6-4 sophomore left-hander from Santa Monica, allowed three runs (none earned) with five strikeouts and three walks to improve to 2-0. Bryce Smith pitched the ninth for the Vaqueros (4-3), who took two of three from Solano (3-6), which made the long trip from Fairfield (near Napa Valley).

SBCC

“Joe has really improved his conditioning and strength,” said coach Teddy Warrecker. “In his second start of the year, he throws 118 pitches and he wasn’t out of gas at any point. He’s pitching like a No. 1 (starter) right now.”

After the Falcons scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth, McGrew got out of a first-and-third situation with a flyout to second and then escaped a first-and-second jam in the seventh by getting Patrick Johnson to ground into a 4-6-3 double play.

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“The changeup was working and anytime that’s working, it goes real well,” said McGrew, who will pitch for UCSB next year. “I work off that and throw fastballs when I have to and get weak contact.”

SBCC had its 10-game home winning streak snapped in the opener, when it commited five errors.

“We were uncharacteristically careless with the baseball, not only today but Thursday also,” said Warrecker. “I really feel those errors cost us a series sweep. We’re much better than that. On the flip side, Sam Johnston made some incredibly athletic plays at second base.”

SBCC slammed four more home runs, two in each game, boosting the total to 15 in seven games. Last year’s squad hit 19 homers in 43 games.

The Vaqueros jumped ahead 5-0 in the second game, thanks to a four-run fourth that was highlighted by Johnston’s two-run single. Johnston went 3-4 with a double while leadoff hitter Danny Cavaletto smashed the first home run of his career (solo shot in the fourth) and Abe Ruiz drilled a solo blast to right with two outs in the seventh to make it 7-2.

Ruiz and Connner Rehage lead the squad with four homers each.

“Danny Cavaletto adds an absolute spark for us,” Warrecker said. “He prepares himself as well as anyone we have, waiting for his opportunity, and it shows up when he gets a chance to play.”

In the opener, Solano took a 5-2 lead by scoring four times on five hits in the third against No. 1 starter, Zach Edgington. Edgington went eight innings, allowing six runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts.

Daniel Howell hit a solo shot in the second inning and Tommy White homered for the second straight game — a two-run shot in the third — but SBCC couldn’t overcome 11 strikeouts. White had three of SBCC’s seven hits.

“That’s way too many strikeouts,” said Warrecker. “We’re striking out too much for our ability. We need to make the other team compete in the strike zone with two strikes. When we do that, we’ll be a very dangerous team.”

The Vaqueros play host to Irvine Valley on Tuesay at 2 p.m.

(Photos by Vince Agapito) 

Bevaqua, Hopkins (5), Consulo (7) and Romero; Edgington, Gunderson (8) and Keller. W–Consulo. L–Edgington 1-2.
 2B–SB: Keller. HR–SB: Howell (2), 2nd inn., none on; White (3), 3rd inn., one on.Lewis, Castillo (4), Galindez (7), Miller (7), Papucci (8) and Romero, Mills (5), Mossholder (8); McGrew, Smith (9) and Keller. W–McGrew 2-0. L–Lewis.
 2B–SB: Howell, Ruiz, Johnston. HR–SB: Cavaletto (1), 4th inn., none on; Ruiz (4), 7th inn., none on.
 Records–SC: 3-6. SBCC: 4-3.