Dons get jump on OCC

Orange Coast College baseball coaches instruct their players that they don’t have to rise to any postseason occasion, but merely fall back upon the preparation that has carried them all season long.

But the top-seeded Pirates were knocked back on their heels by visiting Santa Ana in the opening game of the best-of-three Southern California Super Regional series on Friday.

The No. 14-seeded Dons (29-15) had five hits and two runs in the first inning and went on to a 3-1 victory that pushes the Pirates (33-10) to the verge of elimination when the series resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. at OCC.

OCC, which did not produce an extra-base hit for the first time all season, breaking a span of 49 straight games with more than a single, left the bases loaded in the second and third innings. The hosts left 10 runners on base and only managed five hits against sophomore right-hander Guillermo Sanchez.

Sanchez, who won his fourth straight start to improve to 7-3, tossed his second straight complete game and lowered his ERA to 3.33.

OCC sophomore starter Kyle Robeniol gave up seven hits in his first two innings and though limiting the damage, absorbed his first loss in eight decisions as a Pirate.

“I thought [Sanchez] was really good,” OCC coach John Altobelli said. “His velocity was better than the last time we faced him [a 7-3 OCC win on March 9 in which Sanchez allowed five runs on six hits in three innings to take the loss].

“We left a small village on the bases,” Altobelli said. “We had chances, but we just didn’t get that big hit when we needed it. But [Sanchez] had something to do with that. He made some big pitches when he needed to.”

OCC sophomore first baseman Eric Wagaman had an RBI single in the third inning to cut the deficit in half. With the bases loaded one out later, Luke Hussung hit a line drive that Sanchez snared for the second out. John Balliet then fouled out to end the threat.

With one out and the bases loaded in the second, Sanchez, who matched his season high with eight strikeouts, worked out of the jam by inducing a pop to shortstop and a fly to center field.

Robeniol, an Oregon bounce-back bound for the University of Utah, struck out the side in the third and fourth innings. He fanned eight of 10 batters he faced during one stretch from the second to the fourth innings. He was lifted after the sixth inning.

Freshman Cameron Jabara allowed four hits and one run in three relief innings for OCC.

Sophomore catcher and cleanup hitter Robert Teel was two for four to pace the Pirates’ offense, which also included singles from J.T. Navarro and Balliet.

OCC turned inning-ending double plays in the first and second innings and a Santa Ana runner was thrown out at the plate in the seventh.

Altobelli said there will be no panic from the Pirates, who overcame opening-game losses in best-of-three playoff series against Glendale and Santa Barbara in 2015, on their way to their second straight state championship.

OCC has lost back-to-back games only twice this season (March 28 and 30 against Riverside and April 12 and 13 against Oxnard and Santa Barbara) and lost only one three-game series (Riverside).

“I’ve lost [playoff series openers] before,” Altobelli said. “We just have to tighten our chin straps and get after it a little bit.”

Should OCC, which swept the Dons in three conference games, even the series Saturday, the deciding game would be Sunday at noon at OCC.

Sophomore Julio Rivera from Puerto Rico, had a triple, double, two runs and reached base four times for the Dons, for which freshman leadoff man Erik Leef was three for five.

Southern California Super Regional

Game 1

Santa Ana 3, Orange Coast 1

SCORE BY INNINGS

SAC 200 000 001 – 3 11 0

OCC 001 000 000 – 1 5 2

Sanchez and Vasquez; Robeniol, Jabara (7) and Teel. W – Sanchez, 7-3. L – Robeniol, 7-1. 2B – Rivera (SAC). 3B – Sanchez (SAC).

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Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5