Warriors Drop Season Opener at Orange Coast College

COSTA MESA, Calif. - The El Camino College Warriors lost their 2023 season opener and the first game of the 2023 edition of the Memorial Cup Series with Orange Coast College 6-3 on Friday at OCC. 

The Warriors (0-1) gave up a big third inning that the Pirates (1-0) scored five runs and weren't able to recover from that.  

Anthony Joya took the loss for the Warriors after giving up four runs on two hits, five walks, and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work.  Travis Connelly was efficient in relief and allowed 2 runs in 5.1 innings of work.

In the fateful third inning, the Pirates had bases loaded with one out after three walks.  They scored one run on a fielder's choice to give the Warriors two outs.  However, Connelly entered in relief of Joya and walked in a run and gave up a single to the right center gap that scored three to give the Pirates a 5-0 lead.

The Pirates would add another run in the fifth after a solo home run.  

The Warriors finally got on the board in the seventh inning.  Julio Camera walked to start the inning and advanced to second and third on an error by the pitcher.  Daniel Murillo singled him in to score the first Warriors run of the season.

The Warriors rallied for two more runs in the eighth inning.  The Warriors scored their first run of the inning after four straight walks from Max Shabastari, Patrick Stark, Angel Gonzalez, and Juan Carlos Camerena.

Julio Camerena singled in one run to make it a 6-3 game with the bases loaded with zero outs.  However the Pirates pitcher was able to get Knowles, Meidroth, and Murillo out to end the threat from the Warriors.

The Warriors had another chance to rally in the ninth after Ethan Felix and Max Shabestari started the inning off with a double and a walk.  However, the next three Warriors made outs to end the game for the Warriors.