Rough Patch Troubles PCC Baseball

From losing a 7-6, 10-inning, heartbreaker on Tuesday to getting wiped out Thursday, 16-4, the Pasadena City College baseball team is finding that wins are getting harder to come by. The Lancers are 2-11 to start the 2012 season and 0-2 in South Coast Conference play after the two losses against Los Angeles Harbor College this week. The team has lost five straight.

“We’re not making a good enough effort,” said PCC Head Coach Evan O’Meara. “My assistant coaching staff and I have tried to get the players to understand that if you want to win, you have to give 100 percent on the field. Either you give the maximum effort and at least put yourself in a position to help us win, or you mail it in. To lose by 12 runs on your home field is not acceptable.”

The Lancers hope to avoid a sweep by the Seahawks this Saturday, Mar. 10 when they play at LA Harbor College for a 12 noon series finale. This season, PCC will play 3-game series against each of the seven South Coast opponents.

In Thursday’s loss, PCC fell behind 10-0 after four innings. By game’s end, the Lancers handed LAHC half of its scoring on unearned runs due to making six errors. First baseman David Halstead was a brightspot at the plate by going 3-for-5 with two RBI.

On Tuesday at Harbor, PCC led 2-0, trailed 4-2, then went ahead 6-4 with a 4-run, fourth inning. However, the Seahawks tied it, 6-6, in the eighth. In the bottom of the 10th, LAHC leftfielder Andrew Carbajal won it on a walk-off, bases loaded single to center off PCC reliever Brett Smith.

Lancers’ infielder Matt Chavez (pictured) went 4-for-4 with four RBI and third baseman Damian Santamaria hit 3-for-6. PCC left 13 runners on base after knocking out 13 hits. PCC sophomore pitching ace Will Emerson (no decision) allowed five earned runs in seven innings, allowing eight hits and striking out eight.

PCC has yet to win at its home diamond this season, losing all six of its games at Brookside Park’s Jackie Robinson Memorial Field.

Chavez, a letterman who has played mostly second base this season, leads the Lancers with a .389 batting average, six doubles, and 15 RBI. Infielder Sean Stone (.348 average) had a 10-game hitting streak snapped in Thursday’s defeat.