The City College baseball team scored ten runs in its rout of the Oxnard Condors on Thursday after it had scored just one run in its loss to the same team on Tuesday.
“I thought we came out with a much better energy and intent to compete than we did on Tuesday,” said head coach Jeff Walker.
Jacob Bravo, Jarred Greene and Zach Jensen all drove in runs to give the Vaqueros a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
The Vaqueros made some great defensive plays, including stops by Trevor Davis and Brandon Lawrence in the infield.
Right-hander Blake Corsentino pitched seven innings of one-run ball for City College, helping to secure the 10-1 victory.
“It makes it a lot easier,” Corsentino said of pitching with the lead.
The only blemish on Corsentino’s afternoon was a single by Condor first-basemen Mark Hernandez, who drove in teammate Ryan Sandoval.
“[I] kept them off balance with change-ups and offspeed [pitches],” Corsentino said.
While Corsentino kept the runs at bay on the defensive end, Bravo did his part to spark the offense.
“We all figured it out together,” Bravo said of the Vaqueros’ offensive outburst.
Bravo, who has four homers and 13 RBIs on the season, went 2-2 with a walk and three RBIs on Thursday.
The Vaqueros fell to the Condors on Tuesday in the conference opener but were able to figure out Oxnard’s game plan on Thursday.
“We [just] try to figure out what they’re going to do,” said Bravo.
Before the season began, Barstow Community College and Victory Valley College left the Vaqueros’ Western State Conference North Division, causing conference play to begin earlier than usual.
City College only had ten non-conference games this season and will play mostly in-conference games for the next two and a half months before the postseason begins.
Oxnard managed 10 hits, but the Vaqueros’ defense let only one runner past third base.
City College hitters were patient at the plate and walked five times compared to a combined four strikeouts.
“I thought our energy was a lot better,” said Nick Catalano. “I don’t think we were down one time.”
The offense has rarely been an issue for the Vaqueros, they have scored ten or more runs in four of their seven wins this season.
Shouts came from both dugouts, with batters being cheered on at the plate.
Thursday marks the second time in three days that the Vaqueros have seen the Condors and they will play them again in Oxnard this weekend.
“Baseball is a game designed to play in series, hopefully [we] win on Saturday,” said Walker.
All three of the Condors’ wins this season have come on their home field.
“They like playing at home,” said Walker.
After a brief road trip, the Vaqueros return to Pershing Park on Friday, Feb. 28 for a two-game series against the Chaffey College Panthers.
