Ask Citrus, San Diego Mesa, West Los Angeles, LA Harbor and Compton Colleges if they are glad they don't have to see the Pasadena City College baseball team visit their home diamonds anymore this season. After watching the Lancers resemble the Conga line around the base paths from the old Bugs Bunny cartoon those opponents probably would answer yes, and don't come back anytime soon.
On Tuesday, Compton became the fifth team to lose by a double-digit margin to the visiting Lancers monster bats. Third baseman Marco Martinez slugged two prodigious, 400-foot plus home runs to straight away center and catcher Cole Pilar knocked in six RBI to lead PCC to a 19-8 romp over the Tartars in completing a 2-game sweep in their series. The state's No. 19-ranked Lancers improved to 12-5 overall and are tied for first place in the South Coast Conference North Division at 4-2.
Martinez (2-for-4 and three walks) became the first PCC player since Adrian Martinez in 2008 to hit two home runs in a game. He now leads the team in dingers with four after slugging a solo blast in the seventh inning and a 3-run shot in the eighth. Pillar batted 4-for-7, including a 3-run double in the sixth and a 2-run single in the ninth. Reserve designated hitter Johnny Cedeno went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI while leftfielder Wyatt Coates was 2-for-2 with two walks, a hit by pitch and a sacrifice fly.
Centerfielder Gabriel Arellano extended his season-long hitting streak to 17 games with a 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI performance. First baseman Vic Zepeda was 2-for-4 with a double, two walks and two RBI and second baseman Andrew Scannell went 2-for-7.
PCC's team batting average is No. 2 in the state at .329 and the squad is also second in on-base percentage at .444 (both tops in SoCal). The Lancers have scored 52 runs in their last three games alone on 47 hits with 16 of those for extra bases. Overall, the team has won eight games by 10 or more runs.
Individually, Arellano is fourth in the state in batting average and No. 1 in the Southland at .442. His 38 hits top all state batters. Arellano was recently named CCCBCA SoCal Athlete of the Week. In week #5, Arellano batted 11-for-17, 2 doubles, seven runs scored and hit .647 during three PCC victories. He had two 4-hit games, one 3-hit game. Pilar is fourth in the state in on-base percentage at .551. Martinez is 15th in OBP (.513) and 20th in slugging percentage (.639).
Starting pitcher Matt Orozco moved to 2-2 by throwing five innings, allowing three hits, four earned runs, five walks while striking out five.
Coach Pat McGee's Lancers have perhaps their biggest test of the season on Thursday, Mar. 14 when they host state #3-ranked El Camino College. The Warriors (16-3 overall) are tied for first place in the SCC South Division and have the state's toughest pitching staff with a 1.93 ERA to head all California Community Colleges.