Pirates begin postseason Tuesday

Despite finishing fifth in the eight-team Orange Empire Confernce, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli did not believe his Pirates were on the proverbial bubble when it came to receiving a postseason berth.

But after being selected to compete in a play-in game against Cerritos on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at OCC ? the winner of which would earn a best-of-three series date at No. 1-seeded Cypress beginning Saturday ? the Pirates find themselves one loss away from elimination.

“I expected to get in, but I didn’t expect to be a wild-card team,” Altobelli said.

Orange Coast, the No. 16 seed among 18 teams granted postseason opportunities, finished the regular season 23-20, 10-14 in conference. The Pirates were 7-7 down the stretch.

No. 17-seeded Cerritos (27-17), which OCC has not played this season, competes in the South Coast Conference.

“I think we match up pretty well,” said Altobelli, who last year guided the Orange Empire co-champions to the four-team state tournament in Fresno.

This season, the Pirates have been led offensively by freshman third baseman Josh Bradbury, a Corona del Mar High product hitting .370 with 12 home runs and 34 RBIs.

Freshman first baseman Eric Oliver (.346 with nine homers and 41 RBIs) and Nick Rotkowitz (.356 with 14 RBIs) have also had productive seasons at the plate.

Altobelli said Chris Lum (.247 with 14 RBIs), Stephen Schneider (.229 with six homers and 22 RBIs, giving him 65 RBIs for his OCC career) and Matt Meadows (.232 with four homers and 14 RBIs) have been swinging the bat much better lately.