Irvine Valley's baseball team had everything going its way until the bottom of the seventh inning on Tuesday at Orange Coast.
The Lasers scored a run in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to 5-3.
But Orange Coast rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh and added a run in the bottom of the eighth to go on for a 7-6 Orange Empire Conference victory.
A bases loaded walk to freshman catcher Gabe Briones gave Irvine Valley the 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh.
OCC's David Morgan hit a solo home run to make it 5-4, Cary Arbolida hit a triple into the left-center field gap and was duplicated by Funke to even the score at 5. Pinch-hitter Jake Lappin came through with an RBI sacrifice fly, giving the Pirates their first lead of the game at 6-5.
A RBI single by Ricky Teel gave the Pirates a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth.
Irvine Valley scored a run in the top of the ninth on a RBI groundout by freshman second baseman Eric Burckle to make it a 7-6 game, but the Lasers couldn't get any closer.
IVC took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on RBI singles by freshman third baseman Ethan Johannes and freshman shortstop Shane Kary.
And the Lasers went up, 4-1, in the top of the sixth on RBI doubles by Burckle and sophomore left fielder Dante Faicchio.
Kary went 4 for 5 with one RBI and Johannes was 2 for 5 with one RBI for IVC.
Freshman righty Jeremy Wiegman started and went five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk with nine strikeouts. He didn't get a decision.
Freshman left-hander Seth Bougher took the loss. He gave up thre runs on four hits and one walk with three strikeouts in two innings of relief.
The second game of the series will be on Thursday (no fans allowed) at Wendell Pickens Field, beginning at 2 p.m.
