With their backs against the wall, the LBCC Vikings scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat visiting El Camino College Compton Center 5-4 in a South Coast Conference game at Joe Hicks Memorial Field on Saturday.  The win was the Vikings’ third straight and keeps them tied for first place in the SCC standings at 8-3. LBCC improved to 15-10 overall.

Trailing 4-2, the Vikings opened up the eighth by loading up the bases. Catcher Jonathan Keener was hit by a pitch, right fielder Randy Guite singled, and first baseman Cory Buchheim was also hit to make the bases full with no outs.  But an error by Compton second baseman Ricardo Vasquez on pinch hitter Brian Loard’s fielder’s choice grounder allowed Keener and Guite to score to tie up the game. One batter later, Buchheim came in to score on a passed ball to give Long Beach the 5-4 advantage.

Freshman Blake Golding earned the complete-game win despite allowing a season-high 13 hits. Golding allowed four runs (three earned) and struck out five to improve to 4-1 overall. Following Compton’s two-run fourth inning, Golding closed out the game retiring 13 of the next 16 batters he faced.

Third baseman Andy Hernandez led the Vikings at the plate going 3 for 4 with a run. Second baseman Trevor Costin (1 for 4) had a RBI double in the sixth and left fielder Matt Homstad plated a run with his suicide squeeze bunt in the third.

Vasquez was 3 for 4 to lead the Compton (10-13, 6-5 SCC) offense. Anthony Moctezuma picked up the loss for the Tartars.

Long Beach returns to action on Tuesday (Mar 24) with a 2:30 p.m. SCC game, this time visiting Compton.

From reports by LBCC’s Chris Ruiz