Chargers Explode in Fourth to Take Conference Opener Over Irvine Valley
Cypress leads series 1-0 against IVC
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
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0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 6 | 2 |
CYPRESS, CA – Cypress College Baseball opened Orange Empire Conference play in dramatic fashion Tuesday afternoon, erupting for five runs in the fourth inning to defeat Irvine Valley College, 5-4, in the first game of conference play and the first contest of the three-game series.
The Chargers (12-4, 1-0 OEC) trailed 1-0 early before delivering the decisive blow in the bottom of the fourth. With timely hitting and aggressive base running, Cypress capitalized on opportunities to flip the game in a single inning.
Justin Tillar provided the biggest swing of the day, launching a two-run home run to spark the rally. He finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and a walk. Ty Peters continued the surge with a two-run double, going 2-for-3 with two RBI to fuel the five-run frame. Braden Ruiz also drove in a run during the inning to round out the scoring.
Despite being outhit 9-6, Cypress made its hits count.
On the mound, Rocky Palacio earned the win in his first conference start, tossing 5.2 innings while allowing three earned runs and striking out five. He navigated through traffic throughout the afternoon and limited the damage outside of a solo home run and scattered base hits.
The bullpen closed the door from there. Mason Miles delivered 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out one to stabilize the middle frames. Rudy Carlos handled the ninth to secure the save, working through a late run to seal the conference-opening victory.
Irvine Valley (13-4, 0-1 OEC) threatened late, scoring once in the ninth, but Cypress' pitching staff induced key outs to preserve the lead.
Defensively, the Chargers turned 12 ground ball outs and received strong work behind the plate and in the infield to withstand the Lasers' pressure.
UP NEXT: The Chargers are on the road to take on Irvine Valley on Thursday, March 5th at 2:00 PM.
Stay connected with the Chargers through social media. Follow Cypress College Athletics on X (Formerly Twitter) @CypressChargers. Check in with the Chargers on Facebook/CypressChargers and on Instagram @CypressChargers
