Tigers Take Three From Cougars to Start Season

Riverside City College made it a clean series sweep over Cuesta College after grabbing 7-6 and 7-1 victories on Saturday.

The Tigers start the season at 3-0, while the Cougars sit 0-3 to begin the year.

In the first game, RCC scored five runs in the eighth and had to dig deep in the ninth to hold onto the win. Johnny Alley led Riverside with a 3-for-4 performance, while Noah Haros went 2-for-5 with two runs batted in.

Riverside and Cuesta were tied 2-2 heading into the eighth, before Haros doubled with a runner on to give the Tigers the lead. Bubba Heidler then drilled a two-run single to up the lead to 5-2, before Steven Gonzales and Luis Sosa each knocked RBI base hits before the Cougars could get out of the inning.

Things got interesting in the ninth, however, as Cuesta loaded the bases with no outs. The Cougars walked in two runs before a passed ball and a sac fly gave the home team hope of at least tying, if not grabbing the walk-off win.

The Tigers buckled down and got the next two outs to secure the 7-6 victory.

In the nightcap, RCC scored early and kept its distance to take the second game 7-1. Haros went 2-for-5, while Luke Medure went 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Riverside wasted little time, scoring in its first chance at the plate off an Alley RBI single. Castanon doubled the lead with a sac fly in the top of the second, before Cuesta scored in the bottom of the third.

The Tigers answered back with four runs in the fifth and capped the scoring with another run in the seventh to secure the victory.

RCC makes its home debut on Thursday, hosting East Los Angeles for a 5 p.m. contest.