Five early runs cost the Irvine Valley baseball team in a 10-7 loss to San Diego Mesa in the Lasers' home opener on Thursday afternoon.
The squads spit the two-game series to begin the year. IVC defeated the Olympians, 11-6, on Tuesday at Mesa.
San Diego Mesa scored two runs in the top of the first inning and added three in the top of the second inning (with two outs) to go ahead, 5-0. Three of those runs were unearned.
Irvine Valley bounced back with a run in the bottom of the second inning on a RBI single by sophomore designated hitter Dante Catalino.
And the Lasers tied the game at 5 with four runs in the bottom of the third.
Sophomore right fielder Dane Nakatsuka had an RBI hit and then sophomore third baseman Dante Faicchio knocked in three runs with a single in the gap.
But San Diego Mesa scored two runs in the top of the fourth and added a run in the top of the fifth to take the lead for good.
Irvine Valley tried to rally late, getting a RBI single by Faicchio in the seventh and then an infield RBI hit by sophomore center fielder Joey Lapolla in the bottom of the eight, but it wasn't enough.
The Lasers had 12 hits in the game, but gave up 14 hits and committed four errors on the day.
Freshman right-hander Joseph Cossette started on the mound and went 2.1 innings, giving up five runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks with one strikeout.
Freshman lefty Sterling Locicero went the next four innings. He gave up four runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Locicero took the loss.
Faicchio went 3 for 5 with four RBI to lead the Laser offense. Catalino went 3 for 4 with one RBI and sophomore shortstop Robert Haw was 2 for 3 with two runs scored for the Lasers.
Sophomore right fielder Dane Nakatsuka, Lapolla and sophomore left fielder Kyle Dobson each also had an RBI for IVC.
Mesa was paced by Jorge Martinez, who went 2 for 5 with a double and four RBI, Kevin Moscoso, who was 3 for 5 with two RBI and Prescott Horn, who went 2 for 5 with a double and two RBI.
Kristian Garcia picked up the win in relief for the Olympians, going four innings and allowing just one run on four hits with two strikeouts.
Irvine Valley is back in action on Saturday at Chaffey at 12 p.m.
