CYPRESS, CA- The Cypress Chargers (13-8, 9-4 OEC) opened up a four game series versus the Orange Coast Pirates (17-3-1, 12-1 OEC) on Tuesday afternoon at Cypress College. The matchup featured the top two teams in the OEC standings. The Pirates took the first of four games, 10-8.
Dalton Sloniger (1-for-3) led the Chargers offense with two RBI's along with Andrew Sojka (1-for-5) who homered in the ninth inning. Coby Morales (2-for-5) recorded a double along with an RBI. Brenden Harris (2-for-5) scored two runs and notched an RBI. Ryan Maciel (1-for-4) and Pu'ukani De Sa (1-for-4) each doubled in the game. Brett Garcia (L, 3-2) got the start on the mound for Cypress and gave up seven runs (two earned) while striking out four. Raul Herrada (1.1 IP) was solid in relief, giving up no hits and striking out one out of the pen. Michael Ryhlick (W, 2-2) pitched well on the mound for OCC, striking out four while giving up four earned runs over 5.1 innings pitched. Cary Arbolida (3-for-4, BB, 4 RBI) was the hot bat for the Pirates hitting a Grand Slam and reaching base four times on the afternoon.
Orange Coast got the scoring started in the bottom of the first when Jared Schatz scored on a throwing error from Cypress catcher, Jason McDonnell. The Pirates scored another run in the second inning to go up, 2-0. Cary Arbolida of OCC stretched the lead significantly with a fourth inning grand slam over the left field wall. The Chargers would face an uphill battle trailing the Pirates, 7-0. Designated Hitter, Brenden Harris, got the scoring for Cypress started with a single in the bottom of the sixth scoring Ricky Lane. Dalton Sloniger would follow with a ground out to third base pushing across another run. Ryan Maciel doubled to left field cutting the Chargers deficit to three. After three errors by the Chargers in the seventh inning, the Pirates led 9-4 going into the eighth. Dalton Sloniger would earn his second RBI of the afternoon on a sacrifice fly scoring Brenden Harris. The Chargers would head to the ninth trailing by four runs, 9-5. OCC put up another run in the top of the ninth, before Cypress got the rally started. Noah Karliner came off the bench and got on base with a pinch hit single. Andrew Sojka was up next at the plate and made some noise in the inning homering to left-center field, cutting the Pirates lead to three. Ricky Lane kept the comeback alive by reaching base via a walk, and Coby Morales followed with a double to center field, scoring Lane. Cameron Mahaffy of Orange Coast would come out of the bullpen to end the Cypress hopes of a comeback, recording the final two outs of the game. The Pirates left victorious, 10-8.
UP NEXT: The Chargers will host game two of the four game series on Thursday, May 20th, at 2pm.
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