Pirates read and win

COSTA MESA — At Wendell Pickens Field, in the home team dugout, there’s a simple message on a whiteboard for the Orange Coast College baseball players to see.

In red lettering, on the top right corner, five words provide great meaning.

One team

One goal

Fresno

The central California city is circled on the whiteboard because that’s where the Pirates want to end up — the site of the state championships. They took one step closer Friday with a 9-4 win over Long Beach City to open the Southern California Regional playoffs.

“Every day we look at [the whiteboard],” said OCC freshman catcher Jourdan Watanabe, who had a home run and a double to go with three runs batted in. “We’re not looking ahead, but the overall picture is Fresno.”

The Pirates’ confidence grew stronger with the victory, yet they are well aware of not-so-warm memories from a year ago. OCC lost its first two games and were eliminated from last year’s Southern California Super Regional playoffs, the precursor to the state championships.

Now, the Pirates (31-13-1) are one win away from returning to the Super Regional. They’ll face Long Beach today at 11 a.m., going up against the Vikings’ ace Randy Serrato (9-1 with a 1.79 ERA). He led Long Beach to its only win in four matchups against OCC, 3-2, on Feb. 2.

The Pirates plan to go with Matt Hauser, the sophomore right-hander out of Corona del Mar.

If the Vikings win, the teams will play the deciding game shortly after.

“I don’t want a long day [today],” OCC Coach John Altobelli said. “I want to come out and get it over in one. They’re throwing their guy [Serrato] against us so it should be a good competition. He’s a battler. He’s a great competitor. Hopefully our guys can stay hot and get it over in one.”

Instead of Serrato, the Vikings went with sophomore Alex Van Horn, who was roughed up in the second inning, when OCC scored six runs on three hits.

Sophomore left fielder Chris Fung, freshman third baseman Drew Hillman and Watanabe each delivered two-run hits. Hillman and Watanabe, both first-team All-Orange Empire Conference selections, smacked two-out doubles.

“That was huge, getting the two-out knocks,” Altobelli said. “Our big hitters got the two-out knocks when we needed them. That’s a sign of a good team, getting those key hits.”

OCC sophomore left-hander Brandon Dixon said the early lead helped him to improve 10-4 after his 8 1/3 innings of work.

“It could have been a lot cleaner,” Dixon said of his day. “It was a little sloppy, but whatever works. I could have been better, but I could have been a lot worse, so I’ll take it.”

Dixon worked himself out of a jam in the seventh inning, when the Vikings loaded the bases with two out. Dixon then induced Sean Beckley to fly out to right, where Ryan Sheeks ran it down to end the frame.

In the bottom of the seventh, Watanabe gave Dixon some more breathing room with his towering shot to left for his sixth home run of the year.

Watanabe knew there was no doubt the ball would clear the fence after it left his bat. Cory Olson, on the other hand, provided a bit of suspense with his homer in the sixth.

Actually, the umpire caused the anxiety.

Olson, a sophomore center fielder and a first-team All-OEC selection, went deep to right on Van Horn, the ball hitting the foul pole. Altobelli said the umpire initially called a foul, but then waited and signaled a home run, as Olson circled the bases for his two-run blast. It was Olson’s team-leading ninth of the season. And, it helped the Pirates continue their recent hot streak.

OCC went through a five-game skid in April, but have since won five of its past six.

“We took our slide at the right time and I feel we’re peaking now,” Dixon said.

The Pirates hope they peak all the way to Fresno.

Southern California Regional playoffs

Best-of-three series

Game one

Orange Coast 9, Long Beach 4

Van Horn, Mieszala (8) and Junghanel; Dixon, Rosenhahn (8) and Watanabe, Arellano (9). W – Dixon, 10-4. L – Van Horn, 0-6. 2B – Hillman (OCC), Watanabe (OCC). HR – Junghanel (LB); Olson (OCC), Watanabe (OCC).

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.