Pierce Keeps Hopes Flickering

Pierce College remained alive in its quest for the Western State Conference Southern Division title, hanging on for a 7-6 victory over first-place Glendale on Thursday night at Stengel Field in Glendale.

“This was huge,” Pierce Coach Bob Lofrano said. “It kept us in the race.”

Glendale (24-14, 16-9 in conference play) can clinch the division title today at home with a victory over Oxnard in its final game.

If Glendale loses and Pierce (22-15, 15-10) beats Valley on Saturday, the teams would finish in a tie but Pierce would advance to the state tournament because the Brahmas won the season series from Glendale, three games to two.

Pierce and Glendale own tie-breakers over Canyons, which also could finish with a 16-10 conference record.

Pierce left-hander Barry Zito (9-1) struck out nine and allowed 13 hits in a complete-game effort.

He was helped in the eighth when outfielder Micah Berger made a diving catch to rob Freddy Sanchez of a potential game-tying extra-base hit.

Seth Barkley had three hits, including his 11th home run that gave the Brahmas a 7-4 lead in the seventh.

The Master’s 3, Southern California College 1--Ruben Escobar (11-1) escaped three two-on, none-out situations before Eric Fuller recorded the last two outs for the Mustangs (34-8) in the first round of the NAIA Far West tournament at Azusa Pacific.

Escobar struck out five and walked none, and retired 11 consecutive batters at one point.

Luke Kollman and Kurt Fillmore had run-scoring singles in the fifth inning for the Mustangs (34-8), and Chris Kollman singled home Rob Avila in the eighth.

Oxnard 12, Ventura 7--Kevin Mellinger had three hits, three RBIs and scored three runs for the Condors in a WSC Northern Division victory at Oxnard.

Jack Wilson had three hits and three RBIs, and Brent Egan had three hits and scored three runs for Oxnard (26-10, 17-6).

Valley 17, Bakersfield 16--Dylan Forman hit a game-winning single for the Monarchs with one out in the ninth of a WSC Southern Division game at Valley.

Steve Guerrero of Valley had two home runs and four RBIs, including a two-run home run in the ninth to tie the game.

Santa Barbara 2, Moorpark 1--Zach Gordon and Nate Frost each had two hits for the Raiders in a WSC Northern Division loss.