Irvine Valley's baseball team earned a much needed win on Saturday at Orange Coast.
Not only did the Lasers defeat one of the top-ranked teams in the state, but the Lasers did it in an amazing way.
IVC scored 14 runs in the top of the ninth inning and rallied to beat the Pirates, 20-9, in an Orange Empire Conference contest.
With the win, Irvine Valley improved its record to 17-20 overall and 7-11 in conference play. Orange Coast slipped to 25-12 overall and 14-4 in conference. The Pirates still lead the conference standings.
Irvine Valley hadn't scored more than 13 runs in a game this year, but put up 14 in the top of the ninth inning after trailing, 9-6, going into the frame.
Orange Coast used four different pitchers in the ninth.
Irvine Valley had nine hits in the inning, three batters were hit by pitches, two more walked and OCC made an error in the frame.
Sophomore right fielder Grant Rockefeller started the comeback for IVC in the top of the ninth with an RBI double to make it a 9-7 game.
Sophomore designed hitter Ryan Gaynor was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to get Irvine Valley within a run.
Freshman catcher Ryan Santa Cruz tied the score at 9 with a single to right field.
Sophomore first baseman Cooper Moore then gave IVC the lead for good with an RBI single.
The Lasers kept it going with an RBI single by freshman center fielder Ben McConnell, a basses loaded walk by sophomore shortstop Colin Conroy, and sophomore left fielder Zack Stack reaching on an error to make it 14-9.
Freshman third baseman Dustin Angus knocked in two runs with a single to center to make it 16-9 for IVC.
Gaynor came up gain and also hit a single to center to bring in two runs and give Irvine Valley a 18-9 lead.
Moore hit an RBI single and Santa Cruz later scored on a wild pitch to cap the incredible 14-run inning for the Lasers.
Irvine Valley finished with 18 hits on the day. Moore was 4 for 5 with a home run, double, three runs scored and three RBI.
Santa Cruz went 3 for 5 with two runs and two RBI, Angus was 3 for 5 with a double, walk, three runs and two RBI, McConnell went 2 for 6 with a double, walk, one run and two RBI, Rockefeller was 2 for 4 with a double, two walks, three runs and two RBI and Gaynor went 1 for 1 with two runs and three RBI.
Freshman lefty Jason Farese started on the mound for IVC and went 3.2 innings, giving up six runs (two earned) on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
Freshman Chad Burchit earned the win with 4.1 innings of relief. He gave up three runs on six hits and two strikeouts.
Freshman Noah Bradford pitched a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts.
Irvine Valley finishes the regular season with three games this week against Santa Ana. The Lasers host the Dons on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
