Baseball Nabs Fifth-Straight Win in Shutout Performance

Good morning, good afternoon and goodnight.

The Riverside City College baseball team held the LA Mission College Eagles to a mere three hits while not allowing a single run in a non-conference showing on Wednesday night under the lights. The Tigers' three power arms featuring sophomores Anthony Silvas, David Butler and Hayden Coon combined for 15 strikeouts, clipping the Eagles' wings leading to a 5-0 victory.

It was the most dominant pitching performance the Tigers have displayed as a three headed monster climbed the bump. It started with Silvas who chucked six scoreless innings by allowing just one hit and fanning a career-high 10 batters. It is the first time this season any Riverside starter has landed in double-digit punch outs.

Silvas gave up his only blunder in the top of the second inning via single, but he backed it by striking out the next three batters he faced. His outing started with two punch outs backed by a groundout to himself. He cruised to the fourth inning by recoding two more strikeouts sandwiched between a fly out to sophomore left fielder Adrian Arechiga.

He did not stop as he continued on to strike out the side in the fifth innign highlighting the remainder of his outing.

Butler relieved him in the seventh inning and the strikeout bug was infectious. He punched out the first two batters and completed his inning with another strikeout swinging. He capped his final frame in the top of the eighth by punching out his fourth batter of the game. Coon entered in the top of the ninth and slammed the door by retiring the side in order. He struck out the second batter he faced.

It was the Tigers lowest scoring output in a win this season, but five runs was all the dominant pitching staff needed to win.

Riverside broke through in the bottom of the third inning as a one-out triple from freshman right fielder Derek Hurtado sent home freshman catcher Anthony Gibbons.

A three-run bottom of the fourth inning gave the Tigers all the cushion that they needed. Two consecutive base knocks from freshman first baseman Bryce Cermenelli and sophomore shortstop Sebastian Flores set the stage for freshman second baseman Robert Phelps. He came through with a sacrifice fly out to send Ceremenelli home. Arechiga followed with a bases-clearing double down the right field line, while Gibbons backed him with a single through the right side to hand the Tigers a comfortable 4-0 advantage.

Cermenelli added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning as he laced a single to center field, plating Hurtado who reached on a single down the left field line, leading to a 5-0 win.

Silvas (2-0) earned the win by going six strong and fanning 10 batters. Butler bagged four punch outs in two innings of work, while Coon tossed a flawless ninth.

Hurtado finished the night on a 2-for-4 clip with a triple, RBI and run scored. Cermenelli went 2-for-3 with a RBI, runs scored and a walk, while Arechiga seized two hits with one acting as a double. He drove in a run and scored once as well.