COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Wilson Leads Fullerton With Two Home Runs

Tom Wilson ended his day the way he started it--with a home run--as Fullerton College defeated Mt. San Antonio, 8-3, in a nonconference baseball game Wednesday at Fullerton.

Wilson, a sophomore right fielder, was four for five, scored two runs and drove in three.

His first home run in the opening inning drove in Kenny Humphrey. Humphrey had reached base because of a passed ball after a third strike.

Wilson, who was an all-Orange Empire Conference player last season, lined a single to left in the fourth inning, then fought off an up-and-in pitch for a double down the right-field line in the sixth.

He led off the eighth with a home run, his fourth this season. Wilson raised his average from .333 to .382 (18 for 47) in the game.

Wilson, who is Fullerton’s only returning starter, hit .307 with 11 home runs, 16 doubles and 37 RBIs last season.

“He will do a lot of things for us,” Fullerton Coach Nick Fuscardo said of Wilson. “He’s going to be our guy this season. He has developed a lot of patience since last season and it shows.

“Yesterday, we were working on waiting for the right pitch and it showed on his second home run. It came with two strikes.”

The Hornets never trailed. They scored four in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead and added single runs in the sixth and eighth.

The lead was protected by six Fullerton pitchers, including three pitching in their first games this season. Fullerton also used 17 position players.

Pat Valero pitched the first three innings, allowing no runs, to get the victory in the prearranged pitching plan.

John Gump, like Valero pitching for the first time, allowed a run in two-plus innings. He left with a run in and the bases loaded in the sixth with no one out.

Gump was bailed out by Aaron Scheid, who was pitching in his second game.

He got a soft liner that second baseman Ramon Apodaca turned into a double play. A fly out ended the inning.

Rob Williams, George Velasquez, in his first appearance, and Scott Oxarart worked the final three innings.

Nick Sciacca, who came into the game 0 for 2, had hits in his first three at-bats and walked for Fullerton (7-4). Mt. San Antonio is 4-2.

Joe Perez also had a two-run double for the Hornets, who take part in the Modesto Tournament over the weekend.

“Our plan was to use as many people as possible,” Fuscardo said. “We’ve been in tournaments a lot and when you need to win to stay in, you stay with your starters. Today a lot of people got a chance.”

In nonconference softball:

Fullerton 7, San Diego Mesa 6--Frances Garcia had a three-run triple in the sixth inning to give host Fullerton (3-3) a 7-6 lead. Erika Ostergaard (3-1) got the victory.

Rancho Santiago 19, San Bernardino Valley 0 (five innings, mercy rule)--LaTayna Trotter went two for two with three RBIs and Louise Lee went three for three for host Rancho Santiago (3-2), which scored six runs in the first and eight runs in the second.

Orange Coast 6, Rio Hondo 1--Becky Toler hit a two-run triple in the second and also scored two runs and Sonya Ramirez had two hits and scored two runs for visiting Orange Coast (5-2). Alicia Nelson (4-1) pitched a four-hitter, striking out six and walking none.

In nonconference men’s volleyball:

Long Beach 3, Rancho Santiago 0--Wes Schneider had 11 kills for Rancho Santiago (0-2) in a 15-6, 15-7, 15-9 loss. It was the Dons’ first home match in nine years after re-establishing the volleyball program.

Irvine Valley 3, Southern California College 0--Tim O’Neil had eight kills as visiting Irvine Valley (2-0) won, 15-13, 16-14, 15-11.

In a three-way golf match at Costa Mesa Country Club:

Orange Coast wins--Ken Calvert shot a one-under-par 71 and finished second individually for Orange Coast (7-0) in a victory over College of the Desert and Cerritos. Jason Brokken of College of the Desert was the individual winner with a 70.