Freshman catcher Joaquin Salcedo did the heavy lifting and starting sophomore pitcher Connor Campbell stayed the course as the pair led the Pasadena City College baseball team to a 9-5 win at Santa Ana College on Thursday.
Salcedo hit an RBI single in the first inning, slugged a 3-run homer over the left-center field fence in the third, and delivered a RBI double to right center in the fourth as he finished 3-for-4 with five RBI. The Arroyo High product is batting .500 (9-for-18) thus far as a collegiate player with two home runs, three doubles and eight RBI. He has a 1.000 slugging percentage.
Meanwhile, Campbell (2-1) threw an outstanding 8-hitter in going the complete-game route, walking one, allowing four earned runs and striking out five. From the second through sixth innings, the righty blanked the hard-hitting Dons allowing only two singles. He induced 12 of his outs overall on ground balls.
It was the first 9-inning complete game win by a Lancers pitcher since Jakob Guardado tossed one v. Compton on April 28, 2023. Last year, Jameson Ferraro threw an 8-inning CG in a loss to East Los Angeles.
The Lancers (4-2) also got production from second baseman Rocco Regan (3-for-4), shortstop Bryan Richman (2-for-5) while rightfielder Devon Eskridge collected his team-leading fourth double.
PCC's starting nine in the game all are batting .300 or better and three others also are above the .300 mark with the team average at .348 in six games. The offense is averaging 10 runs a game, although 22 of the squads' 61 runs came in a rout at Citrus on Jan. 25.
"Probably the most impressive part for our hitters is we've yet to play a game at our own field and yet we've been comfortable on the road," said PCC head coach Pat McGee, whose team is awaiting the go ahead to return to practices and home games at off-campus Brookside Park's Jackie Robinson Field. The Eaton fire caused the facility to be used as part of the relief efforts in the City of Pasadena.
"We have several players who can hit for power and Joaquin, Devon, Brandon Gill, and Rocco are all newcomers to our program that have shown some pop. Our pitching has been coming around of late, and it was great to see Connor show his endurance and ability v. Santa Ana."
Wet weather caused a postponement of a game scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8 v. Merced as PCC's next game is again on the road at Victor Valley College on Tuesday, Feb. 11. at 2 p.m.
The Lancers don't begin South Coast Conference play until Tuesday, Feb. 18 when they should be hosting their first game of the year v. Rio Hondo (2 p.m.) as part of a 3-game series v. the Roadrunners.