It only takes one pitch.
For freshman outfielder Ty Conrad, it was the first pitch he saw. With one swing of the bat, Conrad smacked a three-run home run to left field, just inside the foul pole to give the Warriors a 6-2 lead over Orange Coast College in the fourth inning.
The El Camino baseball team would go on to score double digits for the 16th time this season to beat OCC, 10-8, in game two of the California Community College Athletic Association Sectionals on Saturday at Wendell Pickens Field.
“I went up there looking fastball and he gave it to me,” Conrad, who went 3-for-3 with four runs scored, said. “I just connected and I was happy it went out.”
Sophomore Cassius Hamm earned his 12th win of the season after allowing five runs on nine hits in six innings. Hamm struck out four and walked two.
“When we get out in front early, it’s a huge help for me,” Hamm said. “I think I did a good job of executing (my pitches) today and getting us deep in the game.”
EC jumped on the Pirates starting pitcher early, scoring three runs in the first inning and forcing Ryan Randal out of the game.
In the seventh inning, sophomore shortstop Darian Sylvester hit a solo home run to left field. After Conrad was hit by a pitch, sophomore infielder Brady Dorn singled to left field, putting runners on first and second.
Sophomore outfielder Ryan Eastburn connected on a double to score Conrad. A sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Connor Underwood brings in Dorn to give the Warriors a 9-3 lead.
OCC rallied in the seventh, scoring three runs to cut the Warriors’ lead, 9-6. Freshman Trevor Talpas came in for two innings of relief before sophomore pitcher Jake Carr closed the game in the ninth to earn his seventh save of the season.
“Today was a nail bitter,” sophomore third baseman Hunter Lewis said. “They came back but our pitchers made good pitches and we were able to hold on to the lead.”
The victory for the Warriors forces a winner-take-all game three on Sunday at noon with freshman pitcher Ricky Ramos getting the start for El Camino at Wendell Pickens Field.
“We battled all day but it was good to jump out early,” EC coach Nate Fernley said. “We are going to get some rest, then it will be whoever gets the best at bats (tomorrow), survives.”
