The Irvine Valley baseball team has found its groove.
The Lasers earned wins in both games of a doubleheader by the score of 3-2 at Saddleback on Friday to take three of four in the Orange Empire Conference series.
IVC has won six of its last eight games and improved its record to 6-9-1 overall and 5-7 in conference.
Irvine Valley captured the first game of the doubleheader, 3-2, over Saddleback in seven innings.
The Lasers took the lead for good with a run in the top of the fifth. Sophomore center fielder Joey Lapolla scored on a passed ball to put IVC up, 3-2.
That was enough for freshman Joe Cossette. The right-hander went six solid innings, giving up two runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts to pick up his first win of the season.
Freshman righty reliever Steven Hayden retired the first two Saddleback hitters in the bottom of the seventh, but gave up two walks and a hit to load the bases.
But he stayed strong and earned the save by getting a pop out to end the game.
Sophomore right fielder Dane Nakatsuka had two hits and one RBI, Lapolla finished with two hits and freshman first baseman Casey Kudell also drove in a run for IVC in the win.
In the nightcap, IVC freshman right-handed starting pitcher Ian Green was the star. He pitched seven impressive innings, allowing just two runs on seven hits and no walks with six strikeouts.
He left the game after giving up a single run in the bottom of the seventh, but stranding runners at first and second base.
Freshman right-handed reliever Cruz Barrios took over in the eighth and pitched two scoreless innings for the save. He pitched around two walks in the eighth to get out of the inning and retired the Saddleback side in order in the ninth inning.
Green improved his record to 1-1 on the year and Barrios earned his first save.
Irvine Valley got on the board early with sophomore first baseman Hank Schineller hitting his second home run of the season. It was a two-run shot in the top of the second that scored freshman third baseman Ethan Johannes and gave IVC a 2-0 lead.
Saddleback cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by David Le Bioda, but the Lasers went back up by two runs in the top of the seventh on a clutch, pinch-hit RBI single by sophomore Kyle Dobson.
Irvine Valley is back in action next week with a four-game, conference series against Santa Ana. IVC hosts the first two games of the series. Tuesday's game is at 6:30 p.m. at the OC Great Park Stadium and the second game is on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the OC Great Park Stadium.
