On Wedensday, the Bakersfield College baseball team started of slowly and never recovered in losing 10-4 to visiting Reedley College on Wednesday.The Tigers scored three in the first inning and three more in the third off BC starting pitcher Frankie Villasenor to build 6-2 lead. Hot-hitting Reedley, which finished with 17 hits, eventually stretched its advantage out to 10-2 before the Renegades tacked on a run in the eighth and another in the ninth. "You can't' give up 17 hits and make three errors and have no offense and win," BC coach Tim Painton said. "You have to give some credit to Reedley. They swung the bats really well, but we didn't play well in any phase of the game." BC had 13 batters reach base via either, hit, walk, or error. However, the Renegades failed to capitalize on several big scoring chances, hitting four double plays. "We had some opportunities early to get back in that, and we had three punch-outs with guys in scoring position in the second inning," Painton said. "Then we the bases-loaded, nobody out situation (in the sixth inning) and liner in to a double-play because of poor baserunning. You kind of create you own opportunities, and we kind of took opportunities away from ourselves today."
Villasenor took the loss. He allowed 6 runs, four earned, in 2 2/3 innings pitched. Adam Brown gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings of relief before Josh Hernandez hurled a scoreless ninth inning. Ashanti Ross and Kyle Williams had two hits apiece for BC. Hector Ruvalcaba was 1 for 3 with 2 RBI.
Reedley's Evan Sagariballa improved his pitching record to 5-0. He allowed three runs in eight innings on the mound.
On Thursday, the Bakersfield College baseball team suffered its most lop-sided defeat of the season on Thursday. Saddleback College smacked nine extra base hits, including a three-run home run and a grand slam in beating the Renegades 23-2 at Gerry Collis Field. The Gauchos, who had 33 batters reach base via hit, walk, or hit batter, scored one or more runs in each of the first eight innings. "It was a good ole-fashioned butt-kicking BC coach Tim Painton said. "…They're good. We couldn't stop the bleeding. We just got beat, bad." Ashanti Ross had two of BC's eight hits. He also knocked in a run by hitting into a fielder's choice in the third inning. Ryan Darby's fifth-inning sacrifice fly plated the Renegades' (13-17) other run. BC starting pitcher Nate Ortiz (3-3) took the loss. The freshman right-hander from Centennial High allowed eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings pitched. Five relievers combined to pitch the final 6 1/3 innings. They gave up 13 hits and seven walks to Saddleback (21-7), the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association's top-ranked team in Southern California.
BC returns to action on Thursday, April 5th, when it hosts LA Valley College. Game time is 3 p.m.