The Irvine Valley baseball team got the 2024 season off to a good start with a 6-4 nonconference win at Long Beach City on Friday afternoon.
The Lasers were down, 4-3, after four innings, but shut out the Vikings the rest of the way and scored a run in each of top of the sixth, seventh and ninth innings to pick up the win.
Irvine Valley's pitching was the difference, holding Long Beach City to just five hits.
Sophomore righty Caden Byers started on the mound and went 4.2 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on four hits with one strikeout.
Sophomore Chris Cody followed in relief for the Lasers and pitched 1.1 scoreless innings. Cody earned the victory on the mound for IVC.
And freshman Zack Marker closed things out with a dominant effort. Marker went three innings and allowed zero runs, while giving up just one hit with two strikeouts. Marker earned the save for IVC.
At the plate, freshman first baseman Shaun McCaghren led the way, going 3 for 5 with two doubles and two runs scored.
Freshman designated hitter Kade Murray, sophomore third baseman Darren Shorter and sophomore second baseman Conner Hoskinson each finished with two hits. Murray also contributed two RBI and Hoskinson knocked in one run.
Sophomore center fielder Shane Stafford got IVC going in the first inning with a solo home run.
Irvine Valley hosts the Vikings Saturday at noon at Laser Field.
