The San Bernardino Valley College baseball team rallied from an early two-run deficit with runs in three straight innings to knock off Chaffey College 7-3 Thursday afternoon in the delayed opening game of a three-game series between the two teams.
The two teams will play at 1 p.m. Saturday at Claremont High School, and complete the series next Monday at 2:30 p.m. at SBVC.
Chaffey took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, but Melchor Flores cut that lead in half with one swing in the bottom half of the inning, as he launched a pitch from Tyler Tilton over the white line in left field, making it 2-1 after two.
With one out in the third, Justin Robles legged out a double to left, then went to third on an infield single by Luis Martinez-Gomez. Nathan Campos-Jaramillo followed with a walk to load the bases for Guillermo Velasco. Velasco chopped a ball in the infield and beat the play at first to score Robles to tie the game.
In the fourth, Chaffey went to its bullpen, and pitcher Josh Sandoval hit Ignacio Zamora to lead off the inning. With Zamora running on a pitch, Alec Castillo lined a single to left to put runners on first and third. Juan Ramirez followed with a single to left of his own to score Zamora. Anthony (A.J.) Mico followed with a walk to load the bases with no outs. Robles flew out to deep center to score Castillo and allow Ramirez to move to third. Braden Hofmeyer came in for Sandoval, and got Martinez to fly out (scoring Ramirez) and Jaramillo to ground out to end the inning with SBVC up 5-2.
Chaffey got one back in the fifth, but the SBVC defense shut down the rally before more could score. With two outs, Cole Howarth singled to left and Nate Slaman hit a shot to center. Howarth scored, but Slaman was cut down trying for a triple on a great relay play from center fielder Robles to shortstop Jaramillo to third baseman Zamora.
SBVC got a pair of two-out runs in the sixth and eighth to extend their lead, and that was enough for the Valley pitching staff. Justin Guzman went five innings, allowing three runs - two earned - and eight hits. Andres Zarate took care of the next three, striking out five. He started the eighth, but gave way to Jacob Castaneda with two on and no outs in the ninth. Castaneda struck out two and got a flyout to end the game.
Martinez led the way for the Wolverines from the leadoff spot, as he went 3-for-4 with two runs, and an RBI. Velasco (3-for-5) and Flores (2-for-5) each had two RBI, while Castillo was 3-for-4 with a run.