Irvine Valley's baseball team battled No. 17 in the state Riverside through six innings in an Orange Empire Conference game on the road Thursday afternoon.
The teams were tied, 1-1, before the Tigers scored six runs to take control of the game.
Riverside went on to a 9-2 victory. RCC (16-8, 5-3) has captured the first two games of the series. Irvine Valley had its record drop to 13-12 overall and 2-6 in conference.
Irvine Valley freshman right-handed pitcher Ryan Barlow was solid through six innings, giving up just one run. But the Tigers were able to get to him for five runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Riverside led, 7-1, after seven innings.
The Lasers answered with a run in the top of the eighth on a RBI single by freshman first baseman Casey Kudell in the top of the eighth, but that did it for the scoring for IVC.
Freshman left fielder Jack Haggerty knocked in the other run for Irvine Valley, hitting a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game, 1-1.
RCC out-hit IVC, 13-5.
David Butler earned the win for Riverside. He went 7.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Barlow took the loss, going 6.1 innings and giving up six runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts. His record fell to 2-3 on the year.
Kudell went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI at the plate for the Lasers. Freshman third baseman Shane Kary was 1 for 4 with a double and a run scored.
Brian West went 3 for 4 with a double, a run scored and three RBI to lead the Tigers.
IVC hosts Riverside for the finale of the series on Friday at 2 p.m. at the OC Great Park Field 10.
