Baseball: Rio Hondo opens Foothill schedule with win over Victor Valley

Since starting the season 0-5, Rio Hondo College has started to heat up by winning five of its last seven games. On Tuesday, the Roadrunners opened Foothill Conference play with a 13-9 win at home over visiting Victor Valley College. Rio Hondo's third straight win improved its record to 5-7 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

The Roadrunners tied a season high with 15 hits, including five for extra bases. Jordan Abernathy had the biggest blow, a three-run home run in the fifth while Randy Buenrostro smacked a solo home run in the second.

Leading 1-0, Rio Hondo blew the game open with a seven-run, second-inning. Buenrostro got the rally started with his home run. Gabe Chavez' two-run double gave Rio Hondo a 4-0 lead before the Roadrunners got a RBI double from Jordan Abernathy and run-scoring singles by R.J. Rome and Mike Hernandez. Fernando Rosales closed out the scoring with his RBI ground out that brought home Romo.

Abernathy's shot in the fifth gave Rio Hondo a 12-6 advantage. Abernathy had the big game at the plate for the Roadrunners as he went 3 for 6 with four RBI and two runs. Chavez also had three hits, going 3 for 5 with three runs and two RBI while Romo knocked in a pair of runs as well.

Avery Vasquez (1-0) picked up his first win of the season in relief. He tossed two innings, allowing one unearned run and no hits. Anthony Franco earned the save after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Gabriel Juarez threw well in the start as he opened the game with three perfect innings.

Jacob Gieseman (0-3) took the loss for Victor Valley (1-12, 0-2 FC) after allowing eight runs and six hits over 1 1/3 innings.

Rio Hondo returns to action on Thursday (Mar. 3) at 2 p.m. when the Roadrunners host San Bernardino Valley College in a Foothill Conference game.