Irvine Valley's baseball team had its chances, but came up short in a 7-6 nonconference loss to Grossmont on Tuesday at home.
Grossmont was ranked No. 12 in the preseason Southern California coaches poll.
Irvine Valley had its five-game win streak stopped and saw its record slip to 6-4 overall. Grossmont improved its record to 4-3 overall.
The Lasers led, 5-2, after three innings, but the Griffins put up three runs in the top of the fifth to tie the score.
Grossmont pushed across an unearned run in the top of the ninth to take a 6-5 lead, but IVC fought back with a run in the bottom half of the frame to tie the score.
Sophomore shortstop Tyler Odekirk singled to lead off. Freshman third baseman Ryan Rafferty then walked to put runners on first and second.
Sophomore designated hitter Robbie Espinosa bunted the two runners over. Sophomore right fielder Cole Joy was intentionally walked to load the bases.
The Griffins then got a strikeout and IVC was down to its last out.
But freshman first baseman Tyler Wagner was hit by a pitch by reliever Cooper Copel to bring in the tying run.
With the bases still loaded, the score tied and still two outs, freshman catcher Ryan Gaynor worked a full count, but ended up flying out to left field.
The game went to extra innings and Grossmont scored what turned out to be the winning run in the top of the 11th inning.
With two outs, Cabot Van Til walked and stole second. Then Robert Bostedt singled to left field to bring in Van Til.
Irvine Valley couldn't answer in the bottom of the 11th.
Grossmont finished with 12 hits in the game and IVC had 11.
Odekirk was 3 for 6 with two runs scored, Joy went 2 for 5 with a double, a walk and one RBI and Gaymor was 2 for 5 with three RBI for Irvine Valley.
Van Til went 3 for 5 with a walk and two runs scored, Bostedt was 2 for 4 with two RBI and Noah Strohl went 1 for 5 with a walk and two RBI for Grossmont.
Javier De la Torre earned the win in relief for the Griffins. He pitched 2.1 innings and didn't allow a run or a hit.
Tim Holdgrafer started on the mound for Grossmont and pitched seven innings, giving up four five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.
Freshman reliever Eric Brunst took the tough loss for IVC. He pitched three innings and allowed one run on two hits and one walk.
Sophomore righhander Matt Markus started for the Lasers and went 5.2 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
Irvine Valley plays again on Wednesday at West LA at 1 p.m. It is makeup game from last week.
