Baseball: Vikings need 10 innings to edge El Camino 2-1 in SCC opener

The Long Beach City College baseball team opened up the South Coast Conference schedule with a 2-1 10-inning win over visiting El Camino College on Tuesday at Joe Hicks Memorial Field.

Freshman catcher Robert Ponce's (Banning HS) walk-off fielder's choice grounder drove in sophomore first baseman Kenny Uyetake (Los Alamitos HS) with the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th to give Long Beach the victory in the opening game of the three-game SCC series.

The contest began as a pitcher's duel between LBCC freshman Steven Gallardo (Hamilton HS) and El Camino's Andrew Pulido.

Gallardo scattered three hits over 4 1/3 innings while allowing a run before leaving the contest early with control issues. He struck out five but walked four. Freshman Omar Jimenez (Lakewood HS) picked up the slack and the win, tossing the final 5 2/3 innings allowing just two hits while striking out five to improve to 2-1 this season.

Pulido tossed nine strong innings before leaving the game in the 10th with runners on first and second and one out. Pulido gave up seven hits and was credited with both LBCC runs in falling to 2-4 overall this season.

Long Beach got on the board first in the bottom of the second. Freshman right fielder Phil Visico (Wilson HS) lined a double to left, moved to third on a throwing error by El Camino second baseman Brice Savage, and came in to score on a ground out by freshman designated hitter Gene Gonzalez (Warren HS).

El Camino came right back to tie up the game in the top of the third. Savage singled to left and moved to third base on a hit-and-run single by Cole Trezek. Jeff Dorman then came through with a perfect safety-squeeze bunt that allowed Savage to come in.

Long Beach finally came through with consecutive hits for the first time off Pulido in the 10th inning. Uyetake and sophomore center fielder Joe Lent (Los Alamitos HS) hit back-to-back singles to start the rally. Pulido got sophomore third baseman Andy Hernandez (Paramount HS) to pop up for the first out before leaving the game.

The Warriors' Alex Mistuloff walked the first batter he faced, Visico, to load the bases. Ponce ended the game when he hit a slow grounder to shortstop Peter Ives. He tossed to Savage at second for the force out, but his relay throw to first for the double play sailed wide allowing Uyetake to score.

 Lent went 3 for 4 to lead Long Beach (6-8, 1-0 SCC) at the plate. Trezek (2 for 3) and Savage (2 for 4) both had two hits each for El Camino (6-8, 0-1 SCC).

The two squads continue the South Coast Conference series on Thursday (Mar 10) at El Camino at 2 p.m. Game 3 is set for Saturday (Mar 12) back at LBCC.