Conner Rehage went 4-for-5 with three RBIs on Friday and DJ Gunderson shut down the No. 2-ranked team in Southern California over the last three innings as SBCC rallied for an 11-9 nonconference baseball win at Santa Ana.
“Conner had a monster day and DJ was outstanding, throwing 58 pitches for his first win,” said coach Teddy Warrecker. “We came back to beat a great team that has the most wins in Southern Cal over the last three years.”
Rehage went 4-5 with a two-run homer and three RBIs for the Vaqueros (6-4), who posted their first road win in four tries. Tommy White, Abe Ruiz and Chris Lauritzen all had two hits and two RBIs. Lauritzen, who normally plays third base, made his first start at shortstop in place of the injured Sam Johnston.
Starter Joe McGrew gave up his first earned runs in his third appearance, allowing six runs on five hits over five innings. Gunderson pitched the last 3 2/3 frames, giving up one run on one hit with five strikeouts with two walks.
The Vaqueros led 3-0 and 7-4 before the Dons (6-3) scored five runs in two innings to take a 9-7 lead after six. Rehage and Ruiz singled in the seventh and Lauritzen knocked in Rehage with a single to cut the deficit to one.
SBCC scored three unearned runs in the eighth on a sacrifice bunt by Danny Cavaletto and two-out RBI singles by Rehage and Ruiz.
“It was a team effort in every sense,” Warrecker concluded. “We showed great resolve.”
The Vaqueros continue their five-game road trip with a doubleheader at Glendale on Tuesday.
SBCC…………… 300 130 130 — 11 12 2
Santa Ana ……. 030 114 000 — 9 8 3
McGrew, Smith (6), Gunderson (6) and Keller, Trevino (7); Hively, Perez (5), Slettvet (7), Brattvet (8) and Recio. W–Gunderson 1-0. L–Slettvet 1-1.
2B–SB: White, Lauritzen. SA: Tanos, Brett, Apelian, Gar. HR–SB: Rehage (5), 5th inn., one on.
Records–SBCC 6-4, SA 6-3.
