Pirates hang "14" on Lasers on "14" Day

COSTA MESA -- It's amazing how the game of baseball just makes numbers work out perfectly. On the day that Orange Coast College and Irvine Valley College honor the opening of John Altobelli Park by both teams wearing No. 14, the Pirates topple the Lasers with a 14-run, 14-hit performance in a 14-4 win on Saturday afternoon.

With several hundred people in attendance, including several media outlets, the Pirates (12-7, 2-1 in the Orange Empire Conference) put up a win on a day they just didn't want to lose. 

Following a pregame ceremony honoring the former 27-year Pirate skipper, Coast came out swinging and scored 11 runs over the first four innings and never looked back. 

Isaiah Morales reached base five times and went 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI for OCC, while Jordan Ku added three hits, including a home run, one run and four RBI. 

Tyler Weaver and Cary Arbolida each went 1-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Logan Jackson added two hits, a run and an RBI.

Starting pitcher Cameron Mahaffy went 2-for-4 with two runs and picked up the win, throwing seven innings and allowing three runs on six hits with two strikeouts. 

Two-run home runs by Ku and Weaver, along with two-run hits by Arbolida and Jake Lappin helped the Pirates jump out to their commanding early lead. Walks and hit batters set up the Lasers' demise as they walked eight and had three other batters reach by HBP. 

The Pirates will return to John Altobelli Park on Tuesday against Saddleback, beginning at 2 p.m.

Release by Tony Altobelli (OCC SID)