Irvine Valley's baseball team couldn't get enough going against Riverside pitchers on Saturday in a 5-1 loss in an Orange Empire Conference game at home.
It was the deciding game of the conference series with Riverside taking two of three contests.
Riverside hurlers Alexander Salazar and Brandon Ross limited the Lasers to just five hits on the day.
Irvine Valley's record went to 18-13-1 overall and 4-11 in conference, while Riverside improved to 24-8 overall and 11-4 in conference. The Tigers moved into a tie for first place in the OEC standings with Orange Coast.
Saturday's game was close until Riverside scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-1 lead.
The Tigers got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a RBI single through the right side of the infield by Andrew Talkington.
But Irvine Valley tied the game in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman left fielder Kyle Dobson's single into left field brought in sophomore center fielder Ben McConnell.
Riverside took the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI double by Steve Ramirez.
The score remained 2-1 until the seventh when the Tigers plated two runs, getting a RBI single from Joseph Hodap and then a sacrifice fly from Angel Moreno to make the score 4-1.
Riverside added one more run in the top of the ninth inning.
Alexander Salazar earned the win (5-2) for RCC. He went seven innings and gave up one unearned run on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Brandon Ross picked up his second save of the season, throwing two scoreless innings.
Irvine Valley sophomore Justin Dunham took the loss. He gave up four runs (three earned on seven hits with three strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Dunham's record went to 4-3.
Dobson was 2 for 2 with a walk and one RBI for IVC at the plate. Freshman first baseman Pu'ukani De Sa, freshman designated hitter Joey Lapolla and sophomore catcher Ryan Santa Cruz also had a hit each for Irvine Valley.
The Lasers start a three-game conference series with Fullerton on Tuesday at home at 2 p.m.