Segerstrom coach Erasmo Ramirez talks to his team after Friday’s victory. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)
Segerstrom’s baseball team scored five runs in the second inning and went on to defeat Garden Grove 7-4 in a Golden West League game Friday at Garden Grove.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
The Jaguars (8-2, 3-0) went into the game tied for first place in the league with Ocean View.
Garden Grove made it interesting scoring a run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Julian Vickers to cut the Segerstrom lead to 5-3 with one out.
However, Segerstrom worked out of the jam and in the top of the seventh, Ezekiel Sandoval delivered a two-run double to put the Jaguars ahead 7-3. The hit drove home Andrew Barajas, who had doubled and Tyler Lopez, who had singled.
The Argonauts (4-7, 0-3) scored an unearned run in the seventh but Segerstrom reliever Donovan Orozco notched a strikeout to end the game.
“When we scored those five runs, we had a good approach to the plate,” said Segerstrom Coach Erasmo Ramirez. “We hit the ball hard on the ground, we forced the defense to make plays and a few of our guys got some nice RBI hits.
“I didn’t like the fact that we kind of fell asleep offensively during the middle of the game. We couldn’t get anything going with the bat and then you add in the fact that we made five errors and we let Garden Grove creep back into it, that’s always a little concerning for a coaching staff. But we got a big two out two run hit by our shortstop Ezekiel Sandoval which was huge and gave us a little more cushion.”
Nic Landeros-Sosa pitched well for Segerstrom for the first 5 1/3 innings, before giving way to Orozco, who finished the game.
In the second inning Kristan Landeros-Sosa had a sacrifice squeeze bunt to drive in a run, Nick Ochoa had a two-run single and Barajas had an RBI single. Another run scored when Barajas stole home as part of a double steal.
Segerstrom had 12 hits, led by Barajas who was 4 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Garden Grove was limited to three hits but Coach Ricardo Cepeda was pleased with the way the Argonauts battled.
“There is no quit in our kids,” Cepeda said. “Going to a new league, we’ve been pretty dominant in the other league (the Garden Grove League). We’re pretty young but our kids really had one bad inning and they put some pressure on us and we made some errors.
“A couple little plays here and there… Segerstrom plays hard and Erasmo does a great job. They’re a very well coached team and their baseball players play hard and they do the right things.”
Angel Crisantos and Jordan Camino had the other RBI for Garden Grove.
Logan Pactwa started on the mound for the Argonauts before being relieved by Brennan Scully in the fourth inning.
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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