OCC gets historic win

FRESNO — The win that put Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli on a landmark pedestal, was his first on the biggest stage.

And the Pirates’ 8-5 triumph over San Joaquin Delta in the opening round of the state championship tournament Saturday night at Fresno City College, put OCC one step closer to Altobelli’s ultimate destination — a championship dog pile.

The victory, the 400th of Altobelli’s 17 seasons, moves him into a tie with Mike Mayne atop the program’s career victories list.

More importantly, it keeps the Pirates on track to what would be their first state crown since Mayne led the 1980 squad to the ultimate prize.

OCC (35-13), the No. 1 seed from Southern California, will face Diablo Valley (36-16), the No. 6 seed from the north, in a winners-bracket game today at 2 p.m. If victorious, OCC will be one win away from collecting the crown in the four-team, double-elimination event.

A loss to Diablo Valley would force OCC to survive an elimination game at 6 p.m. to advance to Monday, when it would need two wins against Diablo Valley to claim the championship.

Sophomore right-hander Chris Licon outdueled the Northern California Pitcher of the Year, Zach Devalle, and six Pirates drove in runs to give Altobelli his first win in five games at the state tournament.

“This is my third trip [to the state tournament] and I was 0-4 here [0-2 in both 2005 and 1993],” said Altobelli, who is not allowed to be in the dugout due to a season-long suspension for surpassing the maximum ejection standard.

Altobelli was in uniform to participate in pregame introductions, and was quickly on the field after the last out to address the team and the media. He is credited with the win, even though his assistants, led by interim head man Bob Flint, guided the team in competition.

Licon, who entered with a scoreless streak of 22 1/3 innings and had not given up an earned run in his previous five outings, spanning 23 1/3 innings, blanked the Mustangs (32-18) through five innings.

His scoreless streak of 28 2/3 innings came to and end as Delta scored three in the sixth.

Licon got two outs in the seventh, before surrendering the ball to sophomore closer Brett Williams, who finished for his sixth save.

Licon improved to 10-2. He allowed four runs on six hits and struck out four, without issuing a walk.

“It was the last start of my college career, so I wanted to give it all I had,” Licon said.

The OCC hitters had more than enough to chase Devalle, who entered with a 10-0 record and a 2.49 earned-run average, after three innings. OCC touched Devalle for five runs, all earned, on seven hits.

Sophomore second baseman Ryan Dunn’s sacrifice fly opened the scoring for the Pirates, who scored three in the second inning and led, 6-0, after the fourth.

Sophomore left fielder Ryan Sheeks singled in a run and freshman center fielder Mykal Stokes followed with an RBI triple to help the Bucs take control in the second.

Freshman Scott Hong doubled in sophomore Rickey Stokes and Dunn singled to plate Hong in the third inning.

Rickey Stokes and sophomore first baseman Brett Wallach both went two for three, while sophomore shortstop Beck Wheeler and Mykal Stokes also had two hits apiece.

Wheeler singled in a run in a two-run seventh, after which OCC led, 8-3.

Delta scored single runs in the eighth and ninth, but could not avert its first loss in six postseason games.

The Mustangs meet Santa Ana in today’s 10 a.m. elimination game.

OCC is 6-0 in the postseason and Altobelli said he is now looking for win No. 401.

“Mike Mayne is Orange Coast College and to follow in his footsteps is like following Vince Lombrdi or Tom Landry or somebody like that,” Altobelli said. “[Mayne] is a great guy. He’s a great coach and I hope I’ve made him proud with these teams I’ve been putting together the last couple years to get back up [to Fresno].”

State tournament First round

Orange Coast 8, San Joaquin Delta 5

SCORE BY INNINGS

Devalle, Barrington (4), Anklam (6), Gabriel (8) and Scott; Licon, Williams (8) and Arrellano. W – Licon, 10-2. L – DeValle, 10-1. Sv – Williams. (6 ). 2B – Peters (SJD), Hong (OCC). 3B – M. Stokes (OCC).