COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Dowding Leads Rancho Santiago to Victory

Kent Dowding struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings as Rancho Santiago defeated Orange Coast, 5-3, in an Orange Empire Conference game Saturday at Orange Coast College.

Dowding allowed seven hits and walked four, but Orange Coast stranded 12 runners; OCC loaded the bases twice and failed to score.

Robin Lindsey hit a bases-empty home run in the fourth inning to give Rancho Santiago (31-6, 13-3) a 3-0 lead. Corey Parker hit a home run in the bottom of the fourth inning for Orange Coast (22-13-1, 7-10). J.J. Thobe picked up his seventh save in two innings of relief.

In other Orange Empire Conference baseball:

Cypress 8, Fullerton 3--Kevin Cook had three hits, including a two-run home run in the ninth inning, for Cypress (23-10, 10-7). Roger Weems (4-1) pitched a nine-hitter, struck out four and walked two for Cypress. Frank Sarver had two hits and two runs batted in; Sal Mancuso had two hits and scored for host Fullerton (21-14, 7-9).

Riverside 2, Golden West 0--Golden West (25-10, 9-7) stranded nine runners. Both runs for host Riverside were unearned. Steve Rath and Gerad Cawhorn each had two hits for Golden West (12-16, 7-9).

In nonconference men’s volleyball:

Orange Coast 3, Rancho Santiago 0--Tony Mertz had five solo blocks and four kills and Chris Bettini had six kills without an error for visiting Orange Coast (15-3), which won, 15-9, 15-1, 15-8.