MARAUDER BASEBALL OUTHITS LA VALLEY, BOTTOM OF FIRST INNING DOOMS TEAM

Photo by Bruce Jacobsen

VALLEY GLEN - The Marauder baseball team collected 13 hits, but could only muster two runs in a 4-2 loss the LA Valley College, Tuesday afternoon, at Monarch Field.

The Marauders outhit the Monarchs, 13-6, but it was the first inning in which LA Valley scored three runs that was the difference in the game. Turns out that's all the runs the Monarchs would need. They added a run in the bottom of the seventh inning as a bit of insurance.

With the loss, the Marauders (6-19, 2-8) dropped to last place in the standings of the Western States Conference-South Division standings. AVC has lost six consecutive games and has only scored six runs in its past five games.

"We're getting guys on base, but we haven't had that one guy who has stepped up to bring in those runs," AVC's Timothy Dodd said. "Defensively we have stepped up and today we showed we can hit. We doubled their hits and we still lost. This is very disappointing because we should be a lot better. We've been getting some really bad breaks."

All but one player in the starting lineup got a hit for the Marauders, including Dodd, who was 3-for-5 with a run scored. Aaron Hart, Travis Tarnoff and Ian Nelson had multiple hits for AVC. The Marauders stranded 15 runners, which has been a problem for them much of the season.

AVC got on the scoreboard first and took a 1-0 lead before LA Valley came up to bat following an RBI double by Tarnoff which scored Tyler Pittmon, who singled earlier in the inning.

The Monarchs (14-11, 5-5) responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs of their own. Robert Berumen led off the inning with a single off starter Clayton Rabiej. Berumen stole second and was doubled in by Hector Rodriguez. Dylan Mersola singled home Rodriguez and LA Valley took a 2-1 lead.

Rabiej (2-8) was the hard-luck loser on the mound. Despite a rocky first inning Rabiej settled down and pitched seven solid innings, allowing only five hits (four of those coming in the first inning), while striking out four.