Sophomore pitcher Justin Zielinski turned in another strong performance on the mound and the Irvine Valley baseball team improved to 4-0 on the young season with a 6-1 win over El Camino-Compton on Tuesday at home.
Zielinski threw six innings, allowing seven hits and one unearned run in picking up his second win of the season.
He has now pitched 12 innings and not allowed an earned run.
Zielinski was relieved by freshmen Joseph Chacon and Cole Millerd, who combined to throw three shutout innings.
Chacon pitched two innings and gave up one hit with one strikeout.
Millerd threw a perfect ninth inning, striking out one batter.
Irvine Valley scored a run in the bottom of the third inning to get on the board.
With one out, freshman left fielder Clint Jack singled to right center and then freshman center fielder Dillon Millar walked.
Freshman first baseman Lucas Tancas followed with a single to load the bases.
And sophomore third baseman Adam Vargas' fielder's choice brought in Jack with the first run of the game.
El Camino-Compton answered with a run in the top of the fifth. Luis Terrazza reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch.
But Irvine Valley broke the game open in the bottom half of the inning with three runs. They came thanks to four straight hits, including three that were for extra bases.
With one out, Jack singled through the left side.
Millar followed with an RBI double to center. Tancas then tripled to right field to bring in Millar. And Vargas hit an RBI double to put Irvine Valley ahead, 4-1.
IVC added single runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to put the game away.
Millar had an RBI single in the sixth and freshman second baseman Cory Mendoza came through with a two-out RBI single in the seventh.
On the day, Irvine Valley finished with 14 hits.
Jack was 3 for 5 with two runs scored. Millar was 2 for 3 with two RBI, Vargas was 2 for 4 with two RBI, Tancas went 2 for 5 with one RBI and freshman right fielder Alex Diaz went 2 for 3.
Through four games, Irvine Valley is now batting .362 as a team and has out-scored its four opponents, 31-4.
Its pitching staff has a 0.75 ERA with six pitchers having not given up a run so far this season.
Irvine Valley will try to keep it going this weekend when it travels down to San Diego for two games.
The Lasers play at Imperial Valley on Friday and then are at San Diego City on Saturday.