SBCC overcame a 3-1 deficit with five runs in the seventh inning on Thursday at Pershing Park and went on to beat East L.A. 6-3 in a nonconference baseball game.
The Vaqueros (6-4) won for the fifth straight time, thanks to five hits in the seventh off three Husky relievers. Catcher Ryan Crowe’s two-run double to right field put SBCC ahead to stay at 4-3.
Zach Zehner had another huge day, going 3-4 with two RBIs. The 6-4 sophomore right fielder from Torrey Pines took over the team batting lead at .432. In his last four games, Zehner is hitting .647 (11-17) with a homer, two doubles and 10 RBIs.
“I’ve been thinking less, trying to keep it simple and get back to the basics,” said Zehner. “We just needed to get fired up. We were staying around with them, but we needed to start taking action.”
With a runner on third and one out in the ninth, Zehner caught a fly ball in right and gunned down Justin De La Nuez on a one-hopper to the plate for a game-ending double play.
“That was icing on the cake,” said Zehner. “Crowe did a great job of blocking the plate. We played great in the last three innings.”
The Vaqueros were a little shaky in the first six frames with five errors and four walks. Connor Detko went six innings on the mound, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
“Connor kept us in the game,” said second-year coach Jeff Walker. “We made some mistakes early but they weren’t able to capitalize to the extent they could have. We always say, ones and twos (in an inning) won’t beat us.
“We took our best at-bats late and rallied for a good come-from-behind win. We got to their bullpen after hitting the ball hard and getting a run in the sixth.”
Detko gave up an unearned run in the sixth, then escaped a no-out bases loaded jam by getting a forceout at home, a lineout to third and a groundout to second.
Side-armer Cody Van Aken got the victory by escaping a two-on, no-out situation in his only inning, the seventh. He induced the Huskies to fly out three straight times.
“Zach Zehner has been dominating in the last four games and that’s how he should play,” Walker added. “That’s exciting to see. We still haven’t put our best effort together at the plate.”
SBCC has outscored the opponents 52-12 during its five-game win streak. They’re 3-0 at home this year and extended their home streak to nine straight wins.
Noah Villegas allowed one walk in the ninth while earning his third save.
The Vaqueros host East L.A. on Saturday at 1 p.m.
LINESCORE
East L.A. …….… 002 001 000 — 3 8 0
SBCC ….… 000 001 50x — 6 11 5
Novelo, Chavez (7), Barela (7), Engels (7) and Lomelo; Detko, Van Aken (7), Magnuson (8), Villegas (9) and Crowe. W–Van Aken 1-0. L–Chavez 0-3. Save–Villegas 3.
2B–SB: Crowe.
