The Pasadena City College baseball team took advantage offensively of what its last two opponents handed it and the end result were back-to-back, home victories over West Los Angeles, 16-2, on Friday and an 8-4 triumph over Merced on Saturday. Both games were played at the Lancers home diamond at off-campus, Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Memorial Field.
Pasadena improved to 8-3 overall and produced its second 4-game winning streak already this season.
Against Merced, ranked T24 in the first CCCSIA State Top 25 Poll, led 3-1 in the sixth and appeared to be moving on to the seventh but a hit-by-pitch drawn by catcher Brennan Beckley was followed by Aryonis Harrison reaching on a second baseman fielding error that would have ended the inning.
With bases loaded, centerfielder Max Blessinger lined a single through the shortstop hole into left field for two RBI. Shortstop Raider Tello and designated hitter Kenny Kim each delivered run-scoring singles. PCC scored five runs in the frame and took a 6-3 lead.
Solid relief pitching quieted the Merced bats with Coleman Mitchell (2.2 innings, one run), winning hurler Kyle Noell (1.2 scoreless innings, 2 Ks) and Nicolas Day (2.1 IP, one run) then earning the save as the trio combined to scatter nine hits over 6.2 innings and hold the Blue Devils to two runs. Merced scored 30 runs in its previous two games.
Overall, Kim batted 2-for-3 with two RBI, Tello 2-for-5, Harrison 1-for-3 and a double, his backup Damien Ureta 1-for-1 with two runs scored, and first baseman Jake Trabbie reached base three times on two HBPs and a walk.
Against West LA, PCC displayed great plate patience and it resulted in Wildcats pitchers truly putting the accent on wild into their school mascot name as the Lancers received an amazing 18 free passes, 12 by walk and six via hit-by-pitches. Add in five wild pitches, three WLAC errors, two passed balls and two balks as Pasadena welcomed the free trips around the bases.
Pasadena added 11 hits, including a power show by Blessinger, who launched a 3-run homer over the center field fence in the third inning and ripped a 2-RBI, double down the right field line that capped the team's scoring in the seventh. Blessinger, a sophomore transfer from Dallas Baptist University, totaled seven ribbies in two days of work and in this game reached base four times (2-for-4, a walk and a HBP).
Kim went 2-for-4 with a double, rightfielder Jakob Guardado was 1-for-1 with three walks, Harrison 1-for-2 including two walks, a HBP, a stolen base and three runs scored, Tello 1-for-4 and two walks, and Trabbie, his body a magnet for the ball over the weekend, was hit twice and walked. Third baseman Toshiki Kuriya contributed two RBI and scored twice.
Lancers starter Ryan Graves pitched an outstanding five innings of 4-hit ball, one unearned run allowed, no walks and three strikeouts to earn the mound win. In relief, Benny Olguin overpowered WLAC hitters with six Ks in three innings of 1-hit shutout ball.
PCC head coach Pat McGee talked about the team's recent success.
"We've played well against some good teams," McGee said. "Offensively, we've received some timely hits from guys at the top of the lineup. Throughout the order, we are battling during every at bat. We've done a great job of extending counts with runners on base and in turn put all the pressure on the opposing pitchers. We know we are going to use at least three pitchers or more in most games, so I like the way our relievers are rising to the occasion."
Tello leads the team with a .432 batting average and 14 RBI. Blessinger (.372, 11 RBI) and Kim (.333, 12 RBI) are also off to good starts in 2022. Graves is 2-1 with a 2.40 ERA to lead the starting pitching while Olguin (1-0, 4.20) has 18 strikeouts in 15 innings to pace the relievers.
PCC opens the 24-game, South Coast Conference schedule on the road Tuesday, Feb. 22 when the Lancers begin a 3-game series against state #11-ranked Mt. San Antonio. Weekday games have 2 p.m. starts while Saturday contests are 12 noon first pitches.