Bobcats blast the Chargers

The Saddleback baseball team defeated Cypress College, 16-2, on Saturday in Cypress.  With the win the Bobcats take over sole possession of second place in the Orange Empire Conference.

What started as a bad week for Saddleback finished on a very high note after winning a second straight game against Cypress and winning the three-game series.  The Bobcats scored 10 runs in the fifth inning on Saturday to blow out the Chargers for a second straight game, moving within three games of first place Riverside City College.

Saddleback opened the scoring in the first inning when Jason Hefft doubled home Michael Davinni for a 1-0 lead.  The Bobcats would add three more runs in the second inning.  Davinni again was in the middle of the action, singling home Jack Collins for a 4-0 lead. 

The score remained the same until the top half of the fifth inning when Saddleback blew the game open.  The Bobcats sent 15 batters to the plate, recording six hits and five walks.  Davinni and J.C. Allen both had two hits in the inning as the Charger pitching staff used three different pitchers in the frame.  When all was said and done, Saddleback had a 14-0 lead. 

Davinni finished 4-for-5 with three runs-scored and three RBI.  Allen was 2-for-5 with five RBI in the game.  Jack Collins finished 3-for-5 with three runs-scored.  Saddleback finished with 16 hits and eight walks in the game. 

Davinni finished the three-game series 9-for-15 with seven runs scored, two home runs and nine RBI.  

Saddleback started Trevor Eby on the mound and he pitched through the fifth inning in improving to 3-1 on the season.  Eby spread around five hits while striking out one before giving way to the bullpen.  The Bobcats used a collection of guys out of the pen as Ryan Cullinane, Tommy Di Landri, Joshua Meekins and Blake Butcher all received an inning of work.

Saddleback is now 24-9 overall and 10-5 in Orange Empire Conference play.  The Bobcats are three games behind Riverside City College with six games remaining after the Tigers dropped a game to Santa Ana College on Saturday. 

Saddleback opens a three-game series on Tuesday at inter-district rival Irvine Valley College.  The first pitch is scheduled for 2:00 PM in Irvine.