CYPRESS, CA – The Cypress College baseball team (18-7, 3-5 OEC) evened their series against Santa Ana College (16-7, 6-2 OEC) with an 11-1 victory at home on Thursday. The Chargers entered the day ranked No. 7 in California, while the Dons came in at No. 17 according to the most recent CCCSIA State Baseball Poll.
Sophomore pitcher Reid Sebby (W, 3-1) earned the victory on the mound for Cypress. Sebby tossed 8.0 shutout innings, allowing 6 hits, while collecting 3 strikeouts.
The Chargers took control with a five-run rally in the fourth inning. Aaron Halpert (3-for-4, 3RBI) got things going with an RBI single, as the Dons' centerfielder failed to locate a high hit ball in the sun. Mariano Ricciardi (3-for-4, 2 RBI) followed that up with a 2 RBI triple down the right field line. Bobby Silvis (2-for-4, RBI) slapped an RBI groundout to second base to score Ricciardi from third, before Eric Bigani (1-for-4, RBI ) drilled an RBI single to give Cypress a 5-0 lead.
Cypress added another run in the fifth inning, before adding three more in the seventh, taking a commanding 8-0 lead.
Jesse Lopez (3-for-4, RBI) and Halpert each hit solo shots over the outfield wall in the seventh inning to put the exclamation point on the Chargers' victory. They would add two insurance runs in the eighth, before allowing the Dons to score a run in the bottom of the ninth, as they went on to win, 11-1.
Cypress baseball will close out the series at Santa Ana College on Friday at 2:00pm.