Vikings Struggle in Game 2, Look to Bounce Back in Series Finale

The Long Beach City College baseball team suffered a tough 19-5 loss to Rio Hondo College in Game 2 of their three-game South Coast Conference series on Thursday afternoon.

The Roadrunners took control early, building a lead and holding the Vikings scoreless through seven innings. By the eighth, Rio Hondo had stretched their advantage to 15-0 before the Vikings finally broke through. Center fielder Danny Rodriguez launched a two-run homer, bringing in pinch hitter Sabin Tomlinson to put Long Beach on the board.

The Vikings continued to fight in the ninth, with third baseman Alejandro Rosas driving in right fielder Ryan Lopetegui on an RBI single. However, Rio Hondo tacked on three more runs in the bottom half. Lopetegui capped off the scoring for the Vikings with a two-run triple, plating Rodriguez and Tomlinson to settle the final at 19-5.

"Unfortunately, that was a disappointing loss for us," said Head Coach Casey Crook. "We've struggled to put together strong performances in back-to-back games, but we have a chance to win our first conference series of the year. I think we're in a good position to rebound on Saturday."

The Vikings will look to bounce back in the series finale when they travel to Rio Hondo College on Saturday, March 1, at 12 p.m.