The Irvine Valley baseball team got two strong, starting pitching performances to earn two more wins and continue to be one of the hottest teams in Southern California.
The Lasers won their eighth and ninth straight games, beating College of the Desert on the road on Friday, 3-1, on Friday behind freshman pitcher Jeremy Wiegman, and then, 4-1, on the arm of freshman Sammy Murprhy on Saturday.
Irvine Valley improved its record to 10-3 overall. It plays again next Wednesday at Mt. San Jacinto at 2 p.m.
IVC plays in a home game next Thursday at the OC Great Park (Field 10) at noon.
Wiegman and Murphy were the stars for IVC at College of the Desert.
Wiegman had the start on Friday and went six solid innings, giving up just one run on six hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Wiegman went to 2-0 on the year.
Freshman Austin Chapman earned the save with three scoreless innings. He gave up just one hit and had two strikeouts.
Key offensive moments were freshman first baseman Casey Kudell with an RBI single in the top of the fourth of the inning and freshman right fielder Bradley Wilkison knocking in a run with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth.
Sophomore center fielder Joey Lapolla and freshman catcher Connor Tallakson each added two hits for the Lasers.
Wiegman passed the mound on to Murphy on Saturday and the freshman from Trabuco Hills shine.
Murphy pitched a complete game for his third win of the season. He went nine innings and allowed one run on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
The Lasers scored a run in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Adrian Reveles and then added a run in the top of the third on another sacrifice fly by Reveles to take a 2-0 lead.
IVC put the game away in the top of the sixth inning on but single RBI by freshman first baseman Trent Nienhouse and then a sacrifice bunt by freshman shortstop Nick Madole to score freshman designated hitter Noah Madole from third base to make it a 4-0 game.
Irvine Valley finished with nine hits. Lapolla had another two hits and Nienhouse also contributed two hits.
The Lasers play again next Wednesday traveling to Mt. San Jacinto for a 2 p.m. game
