Baseball: Vikings snap three-game losing streak with 6-2 win over Mt. SAC

The Long Beach City College baseball team took Game 2 of a three-game South Coast Conference series from Mt. San Antonio College by a final score of 6-2 on Tuesday at Joe Hicks Memorial Field. The series is now even a 1-1 and concludes on Saturday (Apr 9) at noon back at Mt. SAC.

The win snapped the Vikings three-game losing streak and improved their record to 14-13 overall and 9-5 in the SCC. Mt. SAC dropped to 10-15 and 6-7 in conference play.

Long Beach received another impressive pitching performance from freshman Steven Gallardo (Hamilton HS). Gallardo scattered three hits over eight innings and allowed two runs (one earned). He struck out five and walked just one.

Sophomore Michael Kerman (Beverly Hills HS) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the win.

Mt. SAC took advantage of an error and passed ball to score its two runs in the top of the second inning. Matt Winkler's one-out, suicide squeeze bunt drove in Brian Seymour to cap the rally.

Long Beach finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore third baseman Andy Hernandez led off the frame with a single up the middle and four batters later, came in to score on a two-out base hit by freshman shortstop Anthony Salas (Banning HS).

The Vikings came right back to score two more runs in the fifth. Freshman left fielder Daniel Ornelas (South East HS) and sophomore first baseman Kenny Uyetake (Los Alamitos HS) started the rally with back-to-back singles. Sophomore center fielder Joe Lent (Los Alamitos HS) then delivered with a triple to the left-center fielder gap to drive in both runs.

Leading 3-2, the Vikings gave them self some breathing room with three more runs in the eighth. The big blow of the inning was a two-out, two-run single by Uyetake to bring home Salas and Ornelas.

Uyetake closed the day going 3 for 3 with 2 RBI. Ornelas was 3 for 5 with 2 runs while Salas went 2 for 4 with a run and RBI.

Tyler Garkow (1-4) took the loss for the Mounties. He allowed 10 hits and six runs (three earned) over 7 2/3 innings. Raymond Ortega was 2 for 4 to lead Mt. SAC at the plate.