Irvine Valley's baseball team jumped out to a big lead and then had to hold on for a 13-10 win at Mt. San Jacinto on Thursday afternoon.
Irvine Valley won both games in the series against the Eagles.
The Lasers improved their record to 5-3 overall with the win on Thursday. Mt. San Jacinto's record slipped to 1-7 overall.
Irvine Valley scored a run in the top of the first inning and added five runs in the top of the second to get out to a 6-0 lead.
Freshman second baseman David Rojas came through with a two-run double and freshman center fielder Ben McConnell knocked in two runs with a double as part of the second inning for IVC.
Irvine Valley then scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 12-1 advantage.
Freshman shortstop Dustin Angus had a two-run single as part of the big fifth inning for the Lasers.
But IVC had to hold on. Mt. San Jacinto scored a single run in the bottom of the sixth inning and then put up four runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 12-6 game.
After Irvine Valley scored a run in the top of the ninth inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Ryan Gaynor to make it 13-6, Mt. San Jacinto rallied in the bottom of the ninth.
The Eagles scored four more runs to make it a 13-10 game before freshman reliever Noah Bardford got the final out for IVC to preserve the win.
Irvine Valley had 14 hits on the day.
Angus went 3 for 6 with a double and three RBI, McConnell went 2 for 5 with three runs scored, one double, a walk and three RBI and Rojas was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBI.
Gaynor finished 0 for 2, walked three times, scored three runs and had two RBI. Sophomore left fielder Wyatt McGinnis was 2 for 5 and sophomore first baseman Grant Rockefeller was 2 for 5 with one RBI for IVC.
Freshman Jason Farese earned the win on the mound. He started and went five innings, giving up one run (unearned) on two hits with no walks and an impressive nine strikeouts.
Mt. San Jacinto used nine pitchers in the game. Starter Shane Sanders took the loss, giving up six runs on six hits and one walk in two innings pitched.
Irvine Valley plays again on Friday at West LA at 2 p.m.