Pirates super after win

COSTA MESA — Statistically speaking, it was College of the Canyons that was supposed to bring the clubs to the Orange Coast baseball diamond for a best-of-three Southern California Regional playoff series that began Friday.

But, when the clouts had cleared after the Pirates’ 11-7 series-clinching victory in Game 2 Saturday, it was Orange Coast that supplied more prodigious power.

OCC (26-19), which had only 19 home runs in 43 regular-season games, hit four in the two-game sweep of the Cougars, including three Saturday.

Canyons (24-20), which belted 39 homers in 42 regular-season games, hit just one homer in the series, none Saturday.

The victory propelled the Pirates into the Super Regionals, which begin Friday at OCC. One team will emerge from four teams in the double-elimination Super Regionals, to advance to the four-team state championship in Fresno.

Sophomore outfielder Garrett Smith, who had two dingers in 109 at-bats in the regular season, hit two in seven at-bats against Canyons pitchers. His two-run blast in the sixth inning Saturday broke a 5-5 tie and put the Pirates ahead for good.

Sophomore catcher Chris Lum cleared the fence in left-center field with one out in the fourth inning. He had just one homer in 149 at-bats until connecting off of Canyons starter Kody Kurowski.

Lum’s round-tripper sparked a four-run inning that was capped by freshman third baseman Wes Kartch’s three-run wallop that carried over the fence in the right-field corner. It was not only his first homer of the season, but the first of his baseball career, including Little League.

“I saw a pitch up and in and I just wanted to put the barrel [of the bat] on it,” Kartch said. “I didn’t think it was gone. I thought it was over his head, but it kept going. Before I got to first, I looked up and saw the ball bounce behind the fence. I couldn’t take the smile off my face.”

Kartch and the Pirates had their grins removed when the Cougars, the designated home team, scored three in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead.

But Smith’s big fly in the sixth plated Lum, who had singled to start the inning.

OCC added two in the seventh and two in the eighth to make a potential third and deciding game unnecessary.

It was the first time in 42 games the Pirates had hit more than one homer in a game. It was the first time all season they had three in one game.

Pirates Coach John Altobelli said the long balls were nice, for a change.

“Some guys jumped on balls,” he said. “Smitty hit two in the last couple days, and Kartch hit his first one. But Kartch has been swinging a hot bat [four for nine in the series].

“It’s especially good to see from the guys putting in the extra time in the batting cage and the weight room. They’re starting to come through for us. Hard work pays off and that’s something we talk about.”

The offense paid off on a day when OCC starting pitcher Keith Demorgandie, who closed out Friday’s win with a scoreless ninth inning of relief, was knocked out in the second inning.

“Demo [who missed some time during the season with a sore elbow] felt a little something [in his elbow Friday] in the ninth,” Altobelli said. “We tried to get him going today to start him and, obviously, he wasn’t the same.”

OCC reliever Ryan Eccles held the Cougars scoreless for three innings, before allowing five straight singles with one out in the fifth.

Matt Hauser, a Corona del Mar High product, got the final two outs of the fifth and totaled 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory, his fifth in eight decisions this season.

Freshman Daniel Jacobson, who earned the win in relief Friday, worked the final 2 1/3 innings for Orange Coast, collecting his second save of the season.

Lum, whose two-run single in the eighth pulled the Pirates even Friday, finished three for five Saturday and was four for nine in the series.

Sophomore second baseman Halston Barcelo had two singles, and Kartch finished with two hits for the winners.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].

Southern California Regional Playoffs

Orange Coast 11, Canyons 7

Score by Innings

Demorgandie, Eccles (2), Hauser (5), Jacobson (7) and Lum; Kurowski, McCarney (6), Pfau (7), DiGiacomo (8) and Perez. W -- Hauser, 5-3. L -- Kurowski, 3-5. Sv -- Jacobson (2). 2B -- Kartch (OCC), Harris (COC), Lum (OCC). HR -- Lum (OCC), Kartch (OCC), Smith (OCC).