Irvine Valley's baseball team won its third game in a row and first of the year in Orange Empire Conference play with a 11-8 win over Orange Coast on Tuesday at home in the first of a three-game series.
The two teams meet again on Thursday at OCC at 2 p.m. and then Irvine Valley is the home team again on Saturday at noon.
The Lasers improved their record to 16-10 overall and 1-6 in conference, while Orange Coast fell to 13-12 overall and 1-6 in the OEC.
Irvine Valley took advantage of several Pirate miscues in the field to take an early lead.
The game was tied, 1-1, heading into the bottom of the third inning, but the Lasers put six runs on the board to take control.
Five of the six runs were actually unearned in the frame and six of Irvine Valley's first seven runs were unearned.
Sophomore shortstop Jake Amundson gave IVC the lead for good with a RBI infield single and then sophomore designated hitter Shane Flynn singled in a run to make it a 3-1 game.
It was 4-1 for the Lasers after freshman right fielder John Uchytil knocked in a run with a groundout.
Sophomore first baseman Sam Tucci walked with the bases loaded and sophomore center fielder Brandon Abernathy had the big hit of the inning with a two-run double to left give the Lasers a 7-1 lead.
IVC added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to go up, 9-2. freshman catcher Caleb Caparco had a RBI single and Abernathy singled up the middle to drive in a run.
Orange Coast answered with three runs in the top of the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to pull within 9-7.
But Abernathy, who had a quite day at the plate, hit a two-run home run on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Abernathy was the player of the game. He went 4 for 5 with three runs scored, a double, home run and four RBI.
Freshman left fielder Kaden Aimer added three hits and made one of the defensive plays of the year for IVC with a leaping catch at the top of the wall.
Amundson had two hits, including a double, one RBI and two runs and Flynn went 2 for 5 with one RBI.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Andres Hernandez started on the mound and threw five solid innings. He gave up two runs on seven hits with one strikeout. Hernandez improved to 3-1 on the year.
Sophomore righty Lucas Scott moved over from third base to the mound in the top of the ninth and retired both batters he faced for his first save of the year.
Flynn Barnes led the Pirates, going 4 for 5 with a run scored and three RBI. Alan Choo also had three hits and two RBI for OCC.
