Baseball: Roadrunners wrap up East LA series with 4-2 win

On Saturday, the Rio Hondo College Roadrunners salvaged the final contest of a three-game South Coast Conference series by beating the East Los Angeles College Huskies by a final score of 4-2 in Monterey Park. The win came after consecutive losses to East Los Angeles, including an 11-3 setback at home on Thursday and a narrow 6-5 loss on the road in Tuesday's series opener.

Sophomore catcher Danny Marquez led Rio Hondo at the plate during the series as he hit a combined 5 for 10 with 5 RBI, including a 3 for 4 day at the plate in Saturday's victory.

Today's road win improved Rio Hondo to 13-10 overall and 5-6 in South Coast Conference North Division play. The Roadrunners return to action on Tuesday (Mar. 28) at 2:30 p.m. when they open a three-game SCC North series at Mt. San Antonio College.

Game 1: East Los Angeles 6, Rio Hondo 5
The Huskies put together a walk-off win on Tuesday, scoring the game-winning run with a one-out, bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Most the offense in the game occurred early as the Huskies put up three runs in the first and two in the third. Rio Hondo got a run in the second before putting together a three-run rally in the third. Randy Buenrostro smacked a RBI double, Marquez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run and Christian Valdez lined a single to score Marquez. Valdez' RBI single in the fifth tied up the game and remained knotted up until the ninth.

Brady Carlson started and went three innings while allowing five runs and six hits. Anthony Franco pitched well in relief put took the loss in allowing a run and three hits over the final 5 2/3 innings, Franco struck out seven and walked three.

Buenrostro and Valdez both had two hits and a pair of RBI to lead the Roadrunners at the plate.

Game 2: East Los Angeles 11, Rio Hondo 3
East Los Angeles blew the game open with four-run rallies in the sixth and eighth innings as the Huskies cruised to the win on Thursday at Rio Hondo.  

Marquez' RBI double got Rio Hondo on the board in the fifth. He was also credited with a RBI thanks to a bases-loaded walk in the seventh. Buenrostro, Alex Rodriguez, and Nick Ybarra all had two hits each for the Roadrunners.

Isaiah Ramos took the loss for the Roadrunners after giving up four runs (three earned) and six hits over five innings.

Game 3: Rio Hondo 4, East Los Angeles 2
Making just his second start of the season, Chris Velasquez turned out an impressive outing on the mound for the Roadrunners on Saturday. He allowed two runs and eight hits over seven innings to earn the victory in Rio Hondo's 4-2 win.

Marquez also had his best game at the plate as his RBI single in the sixth innings that scored Buenrostro proved to be the game-winner. Two East Los Angeles errors led to a pair of Rio Hondo runs while Valdez had a RBI single to get the Roadrunners on the scoreboard in the second inning.

Josh Sabajan and Valdez both added two hits for Rio Hondo. Edmundo Fernandez and Franco closed out the victory scoreless innings of relief.