Irvine Valley's baseball team dropped the rubber game of a three-game set against Cypress, 10-4, on Saturday at home.
The Lasers (13-17, 4-11) found themselves in too big of a hole right off the bat in the Orange Empire Conference contest.
Cypress (21-9, 9-6) led, 10-0, after three and a half innings.
IVC had its chances to get back into the game, but left 17 runners on base in the game.
The Lasers finished with 14 hits, led by two-hit efforts by sophomore catcher Branden Williams, freshman right fielder Weston Ellis, sophomore shortstop Jordan Gillerman, sophomore designated hitter Kyle Golden and freshman second baseman Adam Rossit.
Freshman catcher Coley Joy also had a hit and two RBI.
But the Lasers found themselves chasing the Chargers all day after Cypress scored two runs in the top of the first, six in the top of the third and two more in the top of the fourth.
Cypress ended with 12 hits on the afternoon. Nine of those hits came in the first four innings.
The big blows as Cypress took control in its six-run third inning was a two-run single by Nathan Rodriguez and a two-run triple by Derek Reilly.
Rodriguez went 3 for 5 with two RBI, Bo Coolen went 2 for 5, Willie Aguilar was 2 for 5 and Elijah Skipps went 1 for 1 with a two-run home run, two walks and three runs scored. Reilly and Paul Gomez each also had two RBI for Cypress.
Skipps gave the Chargers the led in the first with a two-run homer over the wall in right field off of IVC starting sophomore pitcher Kyle Goodbrand.
Goodbrand took the loss (4-6), going 2.1 innings and allowing six runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Joseph Mercado picked up the win for Cypress. He pitched the first four innings as the Chargers jumped out to the big lead. He gave up one run on five hits and one walk with two strikeouts.
Andrew Quezada closed out the game, following relievers Tripp Aversa, Sebastian Lopez, Spencer Hereford and Evan Flohr. Quezada threw two scoreless innings for Cypress.
Irvine Valley plays again on Tuesday, opening a three-game series with Fullerton. The Lasers are at Fullerton Tuesday, host the Hornets on Thursday and then play at Fullerton again on Saturday next week.
