A rough third inning ended up dooming the Irvine Valley baseball team in a 10-5 Orange Empire Conference loss to Golden West at home on Tuesday.
The game was the first of a three-game series between the two clubs.
Golden West scored seven runs in the top of the third inning to take a 8-2 lead. The Rustlers added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning to go up, 10-2, at the Lasers were chasing the rest of the way.
Irvine Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and added a run in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn't enough.
IVC's record went to 16-7-1 overall and 2-5 in conference. Golden West improved to 13-9 overall and 2-5 in conference.
Wyatt Adams got the win on the mound for Golden West. He went five innings and gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Nathan Bena pitched a scoreless 1.2 innings and Caleb Turner threw the final 2.1 innings, allowing one run for the Rustlers.
Irvine Valley freshman Brennen Farber took the loss. He went three innings and gave up eight runs (five earned) on seven hits, one walk and one hit batter with one strikeout.
A bright spot for IVC was freshman reliever Anthony Castillo, who finished the game. He pitched three innings without allowing a run and had five strikeouts.
Golden West had 13 hits on the day, getting two each from Seth Nelson, Ezele Wicks, Nelson Padilla, Zakk Morgan and Justin Simpson. Wicks ended with two doubles and two RBI and Morgan and freshman third baseman Ely Stuart also had two RBI apiece.
IVC, which led, 2-1, after two innings, ended with 10 hits on the day.
Irvine Valley got three hits and one RBI from freshman shortstop Robert Haw and two hits each from freshman first baseman Pu'ukani De Sa and freshman left fielder Kyle Dobson. Dobson also walked twice and had one RBI.
The second game of the series is on Thursday at Golden West at 2 p.m.
