DJ Gunderson, who came in for some middle inning relief, returns for another season for the Vaqueros.
San Marcos alum Pat Cavalier rips a double down the right field line to dirve in the tying run in the 7th inning.
SBCC battled back to take the lead in Friday’s season opener at Pershing Park but couldn’t overcome six errors in a 9-8 baseball loss to Cabrillo.
The visitors from Aptos scored six unearned runs on the Vaquero miscues. The Seahawks jumped ahead 4-0 in the first inning, fueled by a three-run homer from Joe Davis, and led 7-3 after 6½ innings.
The Vaqueros went ahead 8-7 after a five-run seventh inning. Robert Vickers, a former Dos Pueblos High star who batted leadoff, drew a walk and Zach Pecyna was hit by a pitch. Tommy White and Colt McLaughlin delivered RBI singles and Chito Elias added a two-out run-scoring hit to left. Pat Cavalier, a freshman third baseman from San Marcos, tied the game at 8 with an RBI double and Elias scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
McLaughlin was 3-5 with two runs scored and Vickers and Elias added two hits apiece.
Cabrillo tied the game on Justin Schlie’s RBI single in the eighth and went ahead 9-8 on a throwing error in the ninth. McLaughlin singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth and pinch-runner Cody Giordano got to third on a passed ball and stolen base. Elias walked but the game ended when Cavalier struck out.
SBCC starting pitcher Colby Morse drops the rosin bag as powder flies.
“We battled but we didn’t control the controllable,” said Ryan Thompson after his first game as SBCC’s head coach. “You can only make less errors if you’re into it from a mental standpoint. We played a little tentative in the field and that’s something we have to improve on.
“The positive part was that we fought back, took the lead and had a chance at the end.”
Colby Morse, a 6-5 sophomore right-hander, allowed six runs (two earned), struck out five and walked two in his first start for the Vaqueros.
“When you come back on a team and you don’t shut the door, you allow them to feel good about themselves,” said Thompson. “We have a long way to go. I think we’ll be playing much better a few months from now.”
The same teams will clash in a doubleheader at Pershing on Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.
CABRILLO 9, SBCC 8
Cabrillo ….. 400 002 111 — 9 8 2
SBCC ……. 020 010 500 — 8 10 6Morgan, Rodriguez (7), Hennessey (8) and Ohmann; Morse, Nieves (7), Gunderson (8) and White. W–Hennessey (1-0). L–Gunderson (0-1).
2B–C: Ohmann. SBCC: Epperson, Cavalier. HR–C: Davis (1), 1st inn., two on.
