COVID, INJURIES DOOM BEAVERS AGAINST VIKINGS

Once again American River College was limited to just 9 healthy position players for the series finale against West Valley College on Tuesday.  It wasn’t the lack of players that did in the Beavers as much as it was a pitching staff that has yet to find its efficiency.  The Beavers used 6 pitchers to get through just 7 innings and they still allowed a season high 16 runs.  They also combined to walk 9 batters, hit 3 and throw 8 wild pitches.  Freshman starter Anthony Ocanas (Woodland) got a three-up, three-down first inning but then allowed a pair of runs in the 2^nd inning and 4 runs in the 3^rd before being relieved by sophomore closer Christian Lucero (River City).  Lucero was charged with a run in the 3^rd as well as West Valley took a 7-3 lead.  Freshman 2B Nick Ochoa (Segerstrom) laced an RBI double to center in the top of the 3^rd for his team leading third double of the season.  Lucero kept the Beavers in the game, holding the Vikings scoreless in the 4^th and 5^th as the offense closed the gap to 7-6 in the top of the 6^th.  Freshman LHP Josh Heinkel (Inderkum) came in in the bottom of the 6^th however and hit the only two batters that he faced.  Freshman RHP Kyle Ablog (Casa Roble) then came in and allowed Heinkel’s two runs to score and one of his own.  Sophomore LHP Hunter Cabral (Portola) threw the 7^th but didn’t fare any better as he allowed 6 runs, 5 earned in just 2/3 of an inning.  Sophomore LHP Will Gonzales (Elk Grove) came in for the final out and got a strikeout on 4 pitches.  West Valley won the game 16-7 and took two out of three in the series.

A.R.C. moves on to play Shasta College at home on Thursday, then hosts Feather River College on Friday at noon.  The Beavers and the Shasta College Knights will meet again on Saturday in Redding at Shasta College.