TRIPPING UP THE TIGERS

In game one of the Orange Empire Conference series with Riverside City College, the Hornets took advantage of the Tigers early for a 9-5 victory at home Tuesday afternoon.

Fullerton (21-14) and Riverside City (23-12) entered the game with relatively close overall records and matching OEC records at 8-7. The FC win creates a three-way tie for second in the conference standings. Golden West is hanging on in first at 11-5 while riding a three-game win streak.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third when the Hornets brought five runs across for a commanding lead. A RCC error allowed Trevor Schmidt, Jacob Larson and Andrew Pyle to score, Diego Franco then hit a single up the middle scoring Rudy Gonzales, and Noah Rodriguez drove in Franco on a triple to deep left-center field.

Riverside City got two runs back in the fourth on a hit to the right side by Dane Lujan scoring Dylan Nelson, and Arturo Rodriguez ground into a 6-4-3 double-play allowing Richard Tejada to go home from third base.

FC widened its lead in the fifth when Jacob Larson knocked a single to center field plating two runners in Pyle and Franco, but the Tigers roared back with two runs in the sixth and one run in the seventh to cut Fullerton's lead to 7-5.

The Hornets turned up the heat in the eighth thanks to Franco's dropped fly ball that gave Schmidt the chance to score. Soon after, Noah Rodriguez hit a single to the left center that brought in Franco.

Matt Romero (4-2) got the start and the win for Fullerton going 5.1 innings with 5 hits against, 2 earned runs, had 0 walks, and 6 strikeouts. Jared Sawyer came in to toss 2.2 innings with 3 hits, 1 earned runs, had no walks, and 2 strikeouts. Ryan Franson closed out the final inning with no hits, no runs, no walks, and had 1 strikeout.

Up Next: Fullerton (21-14 overall, 9-7 OEC) will play game two with the Tigers at Riverside City College on Thursday, April 18th at 2:00 pm.

*Photo by Kailee Avina