COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Rancho Santiago Rallies to Win Playoff Opener

When Sean Ramos came to bat in the eighth inning of a tie game, he wanted to sacrifice two runners along. But he exceeded expectations, hitting a two-run double that gave Rancho Santiago a 7-5 victory over Long Beach in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs Friday in Santa Ana.

Ramos came up with Raul Rodarte at second and Mark Wasikowski at first and none out. Ramos, a sophomore designated hitter, fouled off a bunt attempt. Then a wild pitch from Don Clark advanced the runners and gave Ramos the chance to swing away. He lined a full-count pitch into the right-field corner to drive in both runs for the Dons (37-9).

The teams play again at 11 a.m. today at Rancho Santiago. The Dons need to win one more game to advance. If Long Beach (21-21) wins the 11 a.m. game, a second game will follow.

Ramos, who grounded out in his first two at-bats, finished with two doubles, a home run and three runs batted in.

“To show you how smart I am,” Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said, “I was thinking about pinch-hitting for him at one point after his first two at-bats because he was struggling a little bit.”

J.J. Thobe pitched a scoreless ninth to improve his single-season Rancho Santiago save record to 10. Thobe also shares the career record of 10 with teammate Scott McGorgary.

Thobe retired Marty Winchester on a fly to left, ending the game with a runner on. Winchester had hit a two-run home run to tie it, 5-5, in the seventh against Rancho Santiago starter Jay Hassel (5-1). Hassel allowed nine hits and had five strikeouts in eight innings for the victory. Clark (0-4) took the loss.

Long Beach starter Lance Havel, a left-hander who threw mostly off-speed pitches, frustrated Rancho Santiago for the first five innings, allowing two runs. But in the sixth, Rodarte hit a two-run home run to put the Dons up, 4-3. It was his 12th. One out later, Ramos made it 5-3, with his ninth home run.

In other first-round games:

Cypress 14, Cuesta 4--Tom Puppe hit two home runs in the sixth inning as host Cypress (29-14) scored eight runs to take an 11-0 lead. Puppe’s first homer was with the bases empty; the second was a two-run shot. Sean Drinkwater had a double and a three-run homer for Cypress.

Robert Legendre (6-4) allowed one run and five hits in 7 2/3 innings and struck out six for the victory. Legendre, who also walked five, worked out of bases-loaded jams in the fifth and sixth innings. Cuesta is 27-15.

The teams play at 11 a.m. today at Cypress.

San Diego Mesa 13, Fullerton 8--Visiting Fullerton scored five runs in the second but San Diego Mesa came back with seven in the same inning. Tom Wilson hit his 15th home run to set the Fullerton single-season record. Wilson improved his Fullerton career record to 26. Chris Johnson and Eddie Garcia also homered for Fullerton.

Jim Burchit (9-5) started for Fullerton and was knocked out in the sixth. Fullerton (25-19) needs to win two games today to avoid elimination. San Diego Mesa, the Pacific Coast Conference champions, is 26-12.