Photo by @JPWest Media
With the game tied, 4-4, after eight innings Friday, Irvine Valley's baseball team scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning and went on to a 9-4 win to take two of three games against Fullerton in the Orange Empire Conference series.
Irvine Valley improved its record to 15-19 overall and 2-13 in conference.
The Lasers have two more conference series left in the regular season.
They take on Riverside in a three-game set next week and then play Orange Coast the following week.
IVC is at Riverside on Tuesday at 2 p.m., host Riverside next Thursday at 2 p.m. and play at Riverside next Saturday at noon.
On Friday, in the deciding game of the series at Fullerton, Irvine Valley went off in the top of the ninth inning to win it.
The Lasers took the lead for good on a RBI single to center field by sophomore third baseman Shaun McCaghren. The hit scored freshman second baseman Josh Gutierrez, who singled to lead off the inning.
But IVC was not done.
Freshman center fielder Sam Tucci then reached on a bunt single to drive in a run and sophomore catcher Aaron Serrato hit a two-run double to left center to give Irvine Valley a 8-4 lead.
Irvine Valley tacked on another run later in the inning when freshman shortstop Andres Hernandez knocked in a run with a single to center.
IVC finished with 11 hits on the day. Serrato went 2 for 5 with a double, two runs scored and a double.
Gutierrez went 2 for 6 with two runs and McCaghren finished 2 for 5 with a run scored and one RBI.
On the mound, sophomore left-hander Jackson Chastain went five innings and gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
Freshman lefty Christian Viggiano picked up the win, throwing the final four innings. All four innings were scoreless. He gave up just one hit and struck out three Hornet batters.
