BEAVERS DROP WILD ONE BEFORE THE RAIN

American River College was sitting alone atop the BIG 8 Conference at 1-0 and was poised to be 2-0 before things got interesting at Beaver Field on Thursday.  In a game that started at 10:00 am to beat the incoming storm, the Beavers jumped out to a 10-0 lead after 5 innings with sophomore LHP Anthony Ocanas (Woodland) cruising through the first 5 innings.  The visiting Vikings had tallied just three hits through 5 scoreless innings off of Ocanas and A.R.C. had a season high 8 run 5^th inning to go up 10-0.  Diablo Valley College came roaring back with 6 runs in the 6^th inning, all charged to Ocanas as the Vikings got 5 hits and a walk off of Ocanas with just one out in the inning.  Sophomore LHP Jake Morell (Whitney) came on in relief and allowed a double to cash in a couple of Ocanas’ runs but he managed to escape the inning with A.R.C. still up 10-6.  Morell then walked the first two batters of the 7^th inning before giving way to freshman RHP Jose Vega (Highlands).  Vega did not fare much better, as he allowed 4 hits and a hit batter while only getting one out.  DVC would score 7 times in the 7^th inning to go up 13-10.  Sophomore LF Marcus Babauta (St. Mary’s) got one of the runs back with an RBI single in the bottom of the 7^th.  The Beavers had a chance to close the gap as they had bases loaded with one out down by two but pinch-hitter Ben Hanson (Woodland) ground back to the pitcher and freshman pinch-hitter Jack Williamson (Jesuit) struck out looking to end the threat.  Freshman RHP Randy Payne (Del Campo) came on to work the 9^th and allowed three runs, only one of them earned to ice the game for the Vikings. 

The Beavers got 3 RBI from sophomore C Duncan Hansen (Del Campo), with two of them coming on a single up the middle in the Beavers 8 runs 5^th inning.  The two teams have the rubber match still to play with Friday’s game having been moved to Monday at DVC due to the rain on Friday and Saturday.