At first, the championship game of the Rawlings SoCal Challenge Tournament looked like it was NorCal's San Joaquin Delta College showcase. The Mustangs, state champions as recently as 2018, jumped out to an 11-1 lead by the sixth inning. The Pasadena City College baseball team roared back with six runs in the seventh and nearly pulled off the rally of all rallies before Delta held on for a 14-12 victory Saturday afternoon in a morning game played at tourney host Los Angeles Harbor College.

The Lancers (4-1) had their 4-game winning streak snapped while Delta improved to 5-1. 

Trailing 14-10 going into the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Kenny Kim became PCC's fourth hit batsman of the inning as his bases-loaded RBI cut the once mighty Delta lead to two. The Mustangs brought in reliever Nate Nordell to face PCC rightfielder Jakob Guardado. The lefty-hitting freshman, who delivered RBI singles in both the seventh and eighth innings, flew out to left to end the game.

"We went from down double digits to having the tying runs in scoring position at the finish. I'm super pleased with the way we battled back against easily one of the top teams in the state," said PCC head coach Pat McGee. "We competed in so many at-bats late in the game."

One of those quality plate appearances was turned in by reserve catcher Brennan Beckley in the seventh. Down 11-5 with bases loaded and two outs, Beckley fought of several foul balls and on the ninth pitch of his at-bat he dropped a single into short left field that ended up clearing the bases after an errant throw by the leftfielder. 

Overall, centerfielder and red-hot leadoff batter Max Blessinger led PCC's 12-hit attack by going 3-for-5 with a double and four runs scored. Guardado was 3-for-6 and third baseman Marco Martinez went 2-for-5. Shortstop Raider Tello was 1-for-3 with two walks, a sacrifice fly and two RBI. Tello leads the squad in hitting at .444 with four doubles, a triple and seven RBI. 

On Friday at Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Field, the Lancers led 10-0 after four innings and coasted to an 11-6 victory over Irvine Valley. Blessinger (.400, .538 on-base percentage) reached base on all five of his plate appearances as he was 2-for-2 with a double, two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Tello ripped a 2-run triple in the third and second baseman Andrew Scannell (2-for-4) added a 3-run triple down the left field line in the fourth. First baseman Jake Trabbie was 2-for-3 with two walks, a double and three runs scored and catcher Matthew Delgado was 2-for-4 with a walk. 

Ryan Graves hurled four innings of 3-hit shutout ball to earn the pitching victory. 

PCC next plays at Golden West College on Tuesday, Feb. 8 in a 2 p.m. first pitch. 

Aryonis Harrison makes the throw from left field v. Delta

Raider Tello with a hit v. Irvine Valley