It has been a long time coming but the 2023 American River College baseball team finally got in the win column with an 8-5 victory over Lassen College on Thursday at Beaver Field.  Freshman RHP Danny Valenze (Whitney) made his college debut and threw one inning, which is all he was scheduled to throw. 

Freshman RHP Tyler Moore (Del Campo) took over from there and kept the Cougars scoreless until he handed the ball to sophomore RHP Christian Lucero (River City) with one out in the 7^th inning.  Lucero inherited a bit of a jam, coming in with runners on 1^st and 3^rd with one out but freshman C Aiden Imperial (Bear Creek) threw out a runner stealing and Lucero induced an inning ending ground out to end the threat. 

The Beavers started the game with Valenze allowing a run in the top of the first but the Beaver Bats came alive early as ARC scored four times in the bottom of the first, led by RBI singles from 1B Willie Tatum III (Grant), freshman SS Darin Eales (Bear Creek) and freshman 3B Anthony Packard (Colfax).  The score remained 4-1 until the bottom of the 5^th when freshman DH Jake Morell (Whitney) tripled down the right field line to score sophomore 2B Jullian Blackwell (East Ridge) who had reached on a bunt single.  Morell was then plated by an Aiden Imperial double to left center to put the Beavers up 6-1.  A.R.C. tacked an another pair of runs in the 7^th when Darin Eales laced a two run single to left to put the Beavers up 8-1. 

The score would remain 8-1 until the 9^th when Lassen was able to score 4 runs with two outs as Lucero was not able to get the last out.  Freshman RHP David Centeno (Roseville) came on with two outs and struck out the only batter he faced to earn his first collegiate save.  Tyler Moore earned his first collegiate W with 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball. 

The Beavers travel down the coast to Hartnell College in Salinas for single games on Friday and Saturday.