COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Cypress Pulls Away From Dons With Eight-Run Rally in Eighth

Cypress rallied for eight runs in the eighth inning to secure a 15-8 victory over Rancho Santiago in an Orange Empire Conference baseball game Thursday in Cypress.

Sean Drinkwater had a three-run home run, Doug McConathy, Kevin Cook and Matt Wilson had RBI singles, Rob Utz walked to force in a run, and Jason Bates had a sacrifice fly in the eighth for Cypress.

Todd Blyleven (6-2) allowed six hits and six runs, three earned, in 6-plus innings to get the victory. Rancho Santiago had led, 5-0, in the third, but Cypress rallied for six runs in the fifth. Troy Babbitt and McConathy had two-run singles, and Tom Puppe and pinch-hitter Eric Nygard had RBI singles.

Bates led off the sixth with a home run for Cypress (20-9, 7-6 in conference). Rancho Santiago (27-6, 10-3) loaded the bases with none out in the seventh, but Cypress reliever Carlos Castillo escaped with the help of a double play.

The Dons’ Mark Wasakowski grounded into the hole, but shortstop Bates got it and flipped to second baseman Drinkwater, who turned the double play as Cypress scored to cut the lead to 7-6.