Four-Run Inning Powers Warriors Past Glendale

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. --- No. 11 El Camino College used a big inning on offense and stellar starting pitching to score a 5-3 victory over No. 7 Glendale in the opening game of the 3C2A Baseball SoCal Super Regionals on Thursday afternoon at Doug Fritz Field at Saddleback College.

With the win, the Warriors advance to Friday where they will play the host and No. 2 seed Saddleback. Pending the results of the Saddleback-Glendale game later this afternoon, that game will either be the start of the best-of-three series between the Warriors and Bobcats or an elimination game for the Bobcats should they lose to the Vaqueros in their game later today.

Once again, left-hander David Case was spectacular on the mound for the Warriors as he went seven innings and allowed just two runs, one earned, on four hits. He walked one and struck out eight to stay undefeated on the mound this year and put the Warriors into the winner's bracket.

Pierce Kingston picked up his third save of the season as he went the final two innings and allowed one run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

The first two innings belonged to the pitchers as neither side could muster much on offense, but the Warriors landed a big blow in the third as they sent nine batters to the plate in the frame and scored four times.

Julio Camarena led off with a single and then Connor Meidroth walked with Dylan Knowles following with a single to right to load the bases with no outs. Ethan Felix then smacked a two-run single through the left side to make it 2-0 Warriors.

Another walk to Juan Carlos Camarena loaded the bases again before Elijah Tolsma struck out for the first out of the frame. The Warriors would plate the last two runs in the inning without the benefit of a hit as Daniel Murillo was hit by a pitch to force in a run and then Patrick Stark hit a sacrifice fly to score Felix and cap the scoring in the inning, giving ECC a 4-0 lead.

Another leadoff walk in the top of the fourth marked an end to Glendale starter Boom Fay's day as he was relieved after three innings pitched and four earned runs allowed on five hits. He walked three and struck out three and picked up his first loss of the year on the mound.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Vaqueros cut the Warriors' lead in half as the first four batters reached on an error, a walk and consecutive RBI singles to make it 4-2 Warriors without an out recorded and runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt to third advanced both runners into scoring position but then the Warriors caught a break as Case struck out Ricky Perez for the second out and then they got Alec Garcia out at the plate as he tried to take home on the same play, getting Case and the Warriors out of the jam with no more damage inflicted.

Meidroth would add an RBI double in the sixth inning for the Warriors to make it 5-2.

It stayed that way until the ninth when the Vaqueros scored a run off Kingston and had the potential game-tying run at the plate with one out. But Kingston struck out Joey Craig and Brandon Nguyen back-to-back to end the game.

The Warriors 3C2A Super Regional schedule now takes three forms on Friday:

• If Saddleback defeats Glendale on Thursday afternoon, the Warriors and Bobcats would play a best-of-three beginning with one game Friday and potentially two games on Saturday.
• If Glendale defeats Saddleback on Thursday afternoon, the Warriors would play the Bobcats on Friday at noon. A win for the Warriors would eliminate the Bobcats and have ECC face Glendale later in the afternoon where a win would send the Warriors to the 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals next week at Warrior Field. A loss against Glendale would force a winner-take-all game between the two teams on Saturday.
• If Glendale defeats Saddleback on Thursday afternoon, the Warriors would play the Bobcats on Friday at noon. A loss to the Bobcats would have the Warriors face Glendale later on Friday in an elimination game. A loss to Glendale would end ECC's season but a win would advance the Warriors to Saturday to face Saddleback in a final elimination game with the winner advancing to the 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals next week at the winner's home field.