College Roundup: MJC knocks off first-place Sacramento

The Modesto Junior College Pirates grew last week against Big 8 Conference co-leader Sacramento City.

They struggled in an 18-6 loss on Tuesday, then proved stubborn in defeat 4-2 on Thursday. It led to a satisfying 7-5 upset win, secured after some ninth-inning drama, Saturday at the Panthers’ ballpark.

Relief pitcher Evan Duran, summoned with two Sacramento runs across the plate and the tying and winning runs on base, induced a game-ending groundout for the win. The Pirates (8-16, 4-8) snapped an eight-game losing streak and ended Sac’s seven-game streak.

Modesto broke a 3-3 tie with four runs in the eighth, a rally ignited by Sammy Silva’s single and a double by Michael Maddox. Tanner Peterson put the Pirates ahead to stay with a single to left, and Ryan Vasquez and Anthony Arredondo followed with RBIs.

Sacramento (21-7, 12-3), tied with Santa Rosa for first place, took a 2-0 lead but MJC responded with three runs in the second. Three walks, one by Vasquez with the bases loaded, led to Arredondo’s RBI single and Michael McGhee’s sacrifice fly.

The Pirates return home Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. to begin a three-game series against San Joaquin Delta.

Stanislaus earns 20th win – UC San Diego, ranked eighth in Division II, took the rubber game of the three-game series over Stanislaus State 7-3 Sunday at Warrior Field. The Warriors (20-12, 10-11) and Tritons (22-6, 14-4) were tied 2-2 until the visitors scored three runs in the fifth, a rally capped by J.D. Hearn’s two-run home run.

Stanislaus closed to 5-3 On Kyle Nixon’s solo homer in the sixth. The Warriors were out-hit 14-7.

On Saturday, Stanislaus opened the doubleheader with a 6-3 win, its 20th. The Warriors have reached 20 wins this early in the season only three times in the last 10 years.

Stanislaus took the lead to stay with four runs in the seventh featuring a two-run single by Aldo Koutsoyanopulos. Starter Jordan Kron overcame a rough start and yielded only one earned run in six innings. The win went to Tyler Murphy, who finished the final three innings.

San Diego bounced back for an 8-5 win. The Tritons built a 6-2 lead, though Stanislaus stayed close on John Holleran’s two-run single.

The Warriors travel to Cal State San Marcos for another three-game California Collegiate Athletic Association series next weekend.

Softball

Warriors tie for 3rd at T-of-C--Stanislaus State parlayed two 8-0 shutout wins Sunday into a 4-2 record and a tie for third-place among 26 teams in the Warriors’ own Tournament of Champions. The tournament host (18-21) boasted a team ERA of .41, the best in the field. Two Warriors, Nicollette Vizcaino and pitcher Kylie Ragsdale were among 17 selections on the all-tournament team.

Ragsdale dominated Chaminade during the six-inning opener. Vizcaino went 4-for-4 and Deja Guzman was 3-for-5. Megan Stacy tossed a five-hit five-inning shutout over Notre Dame deNamur in the second game. Katelyn McDonald had three RBIs for Stanislaus.

The Warriors return to CCAA action Wednesday at home with a doubleheader against Cal State Monterey Bay.

Delta blanks Pirates – Delta pitcher Peyton Rose allowed only two hits, by Haylie Prater and Lexis Prim, during Modesto’s 5-0 Big 8 loss at Stockton. The Pirates (7-17, 5-10) were out-hit 11-2 by the Mustangs (14-1, 27-3), ranked No. 2 in Northern California and No. 4 in the state.

Folsom Lake comes to Modesto on Tuesday at 3 p.m.

This story was originally published April 1, 2017 at 11:33 PM with the headline "College Roundup: MJC knocks off first-place Sacramento."