Baseball splits double-dip

The Saddleback baseball team split a double-header on Friday against Mt. San Antonio College at Doug Fritz Field.  They opened with a 6-3 loss before defeating the Mounties 6-5 in the late game.

Saddleback and Mt. SAC battled four times in five days, with both teams having a chance to win each game.  They ended up both winning two, with Saddleback closing out the series with a 6-5 win on Friday afternoon.

Saddleback trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before scoring twice to tie up the game.  The baseball team took advantage of an error in the field from Mt. SAC when Antonino Vultaggio crossed home plate after a dropped fly ball in right field.  Immediately following, Johnathan Behm singled to left field to score Tyler Declusin and Saddleback would never trail again. 

Saddleback took the lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning when David Le Bioda hit a towering home run to right field.  It was the first home run of the season for the baseball team, and gave them a lead they would never relinquish.  Saddleback tacked on another run in the bottom half of the sixth inning when Behm hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Declusin, giving Saddleback a 6-4 lead.

Saddleback's bullpen was solid throughout, surrendering just one earned-run over the final seven innings.  Andrew Herbert entered in the fifth inning and pitched 1.2 innings in picking up his first win of the season.  Connor Wilford finished off the ninth inning by striking out two Mounties, including the final out of the game with the potential tying run sitting on second base. 

Saddleback will open Orange Empire Conference play on Tuesday when they host Golden West College at 2:00 PM.