CYPRESS, CA – The Cypress College baseball team (20-10, 5-6 OEC) hit a season-high four home runs in a 19-4 victory over Golden West College (16-14, 4-7 OEC) on Thursday afternoon. The series is now tied 1-1 with the rubber game scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday at Golden West College.
Sophomore pitcher Connor McCollum (W, 5-0) remains unbeaten this season with a strong six-inning start on Thursday. McCollum gave up four runs on six hits with four strikeouts to earn his fifth win. Golden West's Luke Mattson (L, 2-3) received the loss, allowing seven runs on nine hits in six innings of work.
The Cypress offense, which has struggled as of late, got it going quickly in game two against the Rustlers. The Chargers took an early 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a two RBI single from Gilly Rodriguez (2-for-4, 5 RBI, HR).
Golden West answered with a run in the top of the third, making it a 5-1 game, before Eric Chavarria (1-for-4, 2 RBI) drilled a two RBI single to left field, extending the Chargers' lead to six runs.
The Rustlers showed signs of life against the Cypress bullpen with a three-run inning in the seventh but Cypress answered with three home runs in the bottom of the inning. Jack Gardner (2-for-4, RBI) drilled a solo shot over the left field wall before Pierson Loska (2-for-4, 2 RBI) sent one screaming over the center field wall in the following at bat. With two on and two out, Rodriguez hit his first homer of the season to give the Chargers a 12-4 lead.
Cypress added some insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by another three-run bomb, this time from Ryan Roberson-McCanless (1-for-1, 3 RBI).
The Chargers can get back to .500 in Orange Empire Conference play and win their second OEC series of the season with victory over GWC on Saturday.
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