The Irvine Valley baseball team dropped the second game of its four-game series to Cypress, 9-4, at the OC Great Park on Thursday afternoon.
Irvine Valley hung tough through the first four innings. The Lasers trailed, 3-2, heading into the fifth inning.
But Cypress put five runs up in the top of the fifth to break the game open.
IVC had its opportunities, but left the bases loaded in three innings – the fourth, seventh and eighth innings.
And the Lasers left runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth.
Irvine Valley scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore designated hitter Hank Schineller hit a sacrifice fly and then freshman center fielder Bradley Wilkison was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
IVC added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by freshman third baseman Ethan Johannes and an RBI fielder's choice by Wilkison.
Irvine Valley had 10 hits in the game.
Freshman shortstop Shane Kary and Johannes led Irvine Valley with three hits each. Johannes was 3 for 4 with one RBI.
Schineller added two hits and one RBI and Wilkison drove in two.
Sophomore left-hander Nate Madole started on the mound and went 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and two walks.
Freshman right-handed reliever Joe Cossette threw a solid two innings to end the game for IVC. He didn't give up a hit and struck out one.
Cypress was paced by Ricky Lane, who went 3 for 5 with three RBI. Martio Tostado was 3 for 4 with a walk and one RBI, Dalton Sloniger was 3 for 5 with one RBI and Brenden Harris went 1 for 2 with a solo home run for the Chargers.
Troy Taylor picked up the win, going four innings and, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
The two teams finish up the four-game set on Friday with a doubleheader at Cypress. The first game will be seven innings and listed as non-conference with the second game a conference match-up that will be inning innings.
