Long Beach Defeats PCC Baseball In South Coast Conference Opener

The Pasadena City College baseball team couldn’t hold on to an early 3-0 lead as Long Beach City College broke a 4-4 tie with four runs in the eighth inning en route to a South Coast Conference-opening, 8-5 win over the Lancers at Brookside Park’s Jackie Robinson Memorial Field Tuesday.

The 3-game series resumes Thursday at Long Beach in a 2 p.m. start. PCC dropped to 6-7 overall and hope to break a 3-game overall losing streak.

Long Beach (9-6) broke the tie on a solo home run to right by first baseman Vincent Byrd II off PCC reliever Chris Brown (1-1). The Lancers lost despite every starter collecting at least one hit as part of an 11-hit offensive attack. Leftfielder Brandon Benson batted 2-for-3 with a sacrifice fly and designated hitter Jeremy Conant went 2-for-5 with a double. Shortstop Alex Briggs tripled in the ninth.

In the opening inning, second baseman Paul Christian, rightfielder Anthony Rabito and third baseman Mitch Bryan each delivered RBI singles. First baseman Joe Quire singled in Briggs in the ninth.

Long Beach totaled 13 hits off four PCC pitchers, including three by Byrd II and leadoff hitter Tristan Chamberlain (and two RBI).

“We didn’t build off that first inning,” said PCC head coach Pat McGee. “At the same time, five runs and 11 hits should win you games more often than not. Our pitchers walked seven guys and we put too many guys on base. The compete level is there so we can’t let one game dictate the rest of the series.”

Christian, a freshman from Hesperia High, became the first Lancer in four years to drive in 20 runs in a season, and he did it only 13 games played thus far. Christian currently is eighth in the state in RBI. The last PCC player to knock in 20 or more was infielder Matt Chavez, who drove in 30 in 36 games in 2012. Chavez was the only PCC player to be named All-SCC First Team since 2004.