Irvine Valley's baseball team dropped the rubber game in the finale of the three-game Orange Empire Conference series against Saddleback, 11-5, on Friday afternoon at home.
The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but moved up a day to beat the rain.
The Lasers had tied the series at 1-1 after winning, 9-8, in 10 innings on Thursday at Saddleback.
Irvine Valley was ahead, 5-4, after the fifth inning on Friday, but Saddleback put up seven runs in the sixth inning to take the lead for good.
Saddleback, ranked No. 1 in Southern California, won two of the three games in the series and improved its record to 16-3 overall and 2-1 in conference.
Irvine Valley, ranked No. 20 in So. Cal., saw its record slip to 11-9 overall and 1-2 in conference.
Saddleback got on the board first, scoring three runs in the top of the third inning. But Irvine Valley responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame to tie the score.
Sophomore shortstop Colin Conroy had an infield hit to drive in a run and sophomore third baseman Cooper Moore knocked in two more runs with a single through the left side.
Saddleback went ahead, 4-3, in the top of the fifth on a pair of IVC errors on one play.
Irvine Valley came back with two runs to take its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.
A bunt single by Conroy along with a throwing error on the play brought in freshman center fielder Ben McConnell all the way around from first base.
And then IVC added a run on a Saddleback error to take a 5-4 lead.
But Saddleback took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning with seven runs. But those seven runs came on just three hits. IVC pitchers walked four batters, hit another and threw two wild pitches.
Brett Auerbach tied the game with a sacrifice fly and then Brett O'Toole hit another sacrifice fly to give the Gauchos a 6-5 lead.
Mike Jarvis and Riley Kasper each had two-run singles for Saddleback in the inning.
Neither team scored the rest of the way.
Irvine Valley hurt itself by allowing eight walks in the contest. The Lasers also made three errors.
Freshman Jason Farese took the loss in relief. He gave up three runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning. His record went to 3-4 on the year.
IVC used six pitchers in the game. Freshman Keenan Cisneros started and went 2.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits with one walk.
Just Dunham finished the game for IVC and did a good job. He pitched three innings and didn't give up a run. He gave up three hits and two walks with one strikeout.
Chase Spinning got the win in relief for Saddleback. He pitched the final five innings without allowing a run. He gave up one hit and one walk with four strikeouts.
Saddleback finished with 14 hits. Auerbach was 4 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI and Kasper was 3 for 3 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBI.
Irvine Valley had seven hits. Conroy was 2 for 3 with a walk, two runs scored and one RBI and freshman catcher Ryan Santa Cruz was 2 for 4.
Irvine Valley starts a three-game conference series with Golden West on the road on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
