CYPRESS, CA- The Cypress Chargers (13-4, 1-1 OEC) scored 11 runs in their first conference win over the Santa Ana Dons (15-2-1, 1-0 OEC), 11-9.
On a blusterous day at Cypress College, the Chargers hosted the Dons for the middle game of the Orange Empire Conference opening three-game series. Cypress fell to Santa Ana in their first OEC appearance on Tuesday, 6-0. The Chargers flipped the script as they won their first game of conference play.
On the bump for the home team was Hunter Drake who got in trouble in the top of the first. With two runners on and one out, the defense got him out of the jam with an incredible play. An attempted 4-6-3 double play was too late to first as the batter reached. Rounding third, a Don's runner aggressively ran home but was gunned down by Cypress first baseman, Ryan Skjonsby. Equally exciting, third baseman Brandon Wyland leapt into the air to climb the ladder for the out and ended the top of the second.
In the bottom of the second, the Chargers broke through for their first run of the game and of conference play. Albert De La Rosa led off the frame with a hard hit line drive to left field. The shortstop would be aggressive on the base paths and stole second. Derek Gonzales took advantage of a runner in scoring position and laced an RBI single up the middle to give Cypress their first lead of conference competition, 1-0.
For the second time in the afternoon, the Chargers nailed a Dons base runner at home plate. On a hard hit ball to left field, Gonzales threw a frozen rope to hope to snag the final out of the frame. Cypress carried their energy into the bottom of the fourth as the team smacked two long balls. Skjonsby stepped up to the plate and sliced a long ball opposite field into the wind that sailed over the left field wall for a leadoff solo blast, 2-0. On the very next pitch, De La Rosa roasted the ball to the exact same location for back-to-back home run jacks, 3-0.
Two frames later, the Chargers would catch the wind again for a two-run blast. Gonzales turned on a fast ball and pulled it over the left field wall to extend the home team's lead to five, 5-0.
At the stretch, Drake shoved seven scoreless frames with nearly 100 pitches and seven strikeouts. To lead off the bottom of the seventh, Robert Pitts demolished the ball over the high left field wall for a solo blast, 6-0. Later in the inning, Luca Arenado singled in two runs to help the home team score three in the inning, 8-0. Cypress flashed some leather to end the top of the eighth with a slick 5-4-3 double play to stop the Santa Ana threat. The Chargers tallied three additional runs in their final opportunity from three hits. Pitts doubled down the left field line for two RBIs and Jack Burke followed with a run scoring sacrifice fly out, 10-0. Skjonsby ended the scoring for Cypress with an RBI single up the middle, 11-0. Santa Ana made it a close finish as the Dons put up a nine spot in the ninth inning to come within two runs, 11-9.
Luca Arenado had a great day at the plate as he went 3-4 with a run and two RBIs. Gonzales parked a home run and collected three RBIs and went 2-4. Skjonsby and De La Rosa also went deep for long ball home runs. On the bump, Drake pitched an amazing game with seven scoreless frames and struck out seven. In relief, Matt Wurmlinger shut down the Dons bats in the eighth and Mason Miles went 0.2 frames. Tommy McGuire closed the door for the final out in the ninth, 11-9. Cypress earned their first conference victory of the year against the defending 3C2A State Champions.
UP NEXT: The Chargers will conclude the three-game series against the Santa Ana Dons on the road Saturday, March 9th. First pitch will be at 12pm.
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