COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Walker’s Hitting Paces Saddleback Victory

Brian Walker continued his torrid hitting with a home run and two singles as Saddleback defeated MiraCosta, 6-1, in a nonconference baseball game in Mission Viejo.

Walker, a sophomore transfer from Loyola Marymount, has reached base in 18 of his past 26 plate appearences with 14 hits and three walks. He was hit once. Walker is batting a team-high .413.

Walker, a left-handed hitter, had a single in the first inning, a two-run home run over the right-field fence in the fourth, flew out to center in the fifth, lined a single in the seventh and walked in the eighth.

He also has a 13-game hitting streak. Walker’s home run in the fourth was his third, and gave Saddleback a 2-1 lead. Lou Benbow added a two-run single in the inning and Saddleback led, 4-1.

The Gauchos (11-13) added two runs in the seventh. Walker singled with one out and Ryan Relph followed with a bunt single. Walker went to third on a fly out and scored on an error. Relph scored on a single by Robert Garcia.

Relph had three hits, including two doubles, and scored two runs for Saddleback, which returns to Orange Empire Conference play Monday with a 2:30 p.m. home game against Rancho Santiago.

Saddleback got 5 1/3 innings from winning pitcher Vince Merk (1-1), who gave up nine hits but only one run. Karl Hardman relieved Merk with runners on first and third and one out in the sixth and got a double-play grounder.

Pat Norville was impressive in pitching the last two innings. He retired all six batters he faced, three on strikeouts.

In the Channel Island Tournament:

Rancho Santiago 4, Moorpark 3--Dave Goldstein (5-1) pitched six innings for the victory. J.J. Thobe pitched a scoreless seventh for his fifth save.

Tom Mendoza had two hits and Octavio Medina and Rob Reminers each had an RBI for Rancho Santiago (26-4).

At the Allan Hancock Tournament:

Cypress 4, College of Canyons 1--Todd Blyleven took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and finished with a three-hitter to send Cypress to the tournament championship game today in Santa Maria.