Palmer’s Big Day At the Plate Trounces Long Beach City College

TORRANCE, Calif. -  Spencer Palmer led the El Camino College offensive charge over the Long Beach City College Vikings with two home runs as the Warriors trounced the Vikings 17-6 at Warrior Field.

The Warriors (21-13, 10-6 SCC) pounded out 16 hits against the hapless Vikings (17-16, 8-7 SCC) pitching.  There were 9 extra-base hits and 5 multi-hit batters for the Warriors. Cody Wissler went 4-6 with two RBIs and one run.  Spencer Palmer went 3-4 with three RBIs and three runs. Joseph Borges went 3-4 for with two RBIs and two runs. Diego Alarcon went 2-5 with 2 runs and an RBI.  Jordan Folgers went 2-5 with three RBIs and two runs. Spencer Palmer. Joseph Ruiz Jr. had one hit and scored three runs and Spencer Long had one hit and had 4 RBIs.  Every Warrior starter scored at least one run.

Daniel Alvarez picked up the win for the Warriors by tossing 7 innings and giving up 8 hits, 6 runs (4 earned), one walk, and two strikeouts.  Nathan Draves and Ricky Ramos each tossed a scoreless inning apiece.

Cody Wissler brought in the first runs of the game with a two out two-RBI double in the 1st inning.  Long Beach City College tied the game up early in the Top of the 2nd at 2-2 after scoring on two hits and a walk.  

The Warriors responded right back in the Bottom of the 2nd inning to take a 3-2 lead and the Warriors led the rest of the game after that.  Borges led the inning off with a double before Diego Alarcon hit a tough infield grounder that the LBCC shortstop couldn't make a play on and Borges scored on the play.  

Spencer Palmer led off the Bottom of the 3rd inning with a solo blast over the right-centerfield wall to make it a 4-2 lead.  Matt Beserra struck out in the next at-bat but reached on a wild pitch. Jose Ruiz Jr. hit a double to put two runs on base before Borges hit his second double of the game that scored Beserra and Ruiz Jr to make it 6-2.  

The Warriors blew the game wide open in the 5th inning by scoring 8 runs.  Wissler started the big offensive inning with a one-out single up the middle.  Ruiz Jr. was hit by a pitch and Borges was walked to give the Warriors bases loaded.  The Vikings changed pitchers but Jerry Granillo walked in a run to make it 7-3. Spencer Long then hit a bases clearing double to left field to make it a 10-3 game.  The Vikings switched to their third pitcher of the inning to try and limit the damage but the Warrior's offense wasn't done yet. Alarcon walked to give the Warriors two baserunners before Jordan Folgers brought both runners in with a double to centerfield.   Spencer Palmer then hit his team leading 8th home run and deposited the ball over the right centerfield fence to make it 14-3 in favor of the Warriors. The Vikings finally switched to their fourth pitcher of the inning to record the third out.

The Warriors tacked one more run on in the sixth inning.  Ruiz Jr. led the inning off by getting on base via a throwing error by the third baseman.  Borges's third knock of the day gave the Warriors two base runners. Jerry Granillo advanced both runners 90 feet on a 3-1 putout before Spencer Long came through with a sac fly to left field that scored Ruiz Jr. to make it 15-3.  

The Warriors loaded the bases up the in the 7th inning with one out but couldn't push across another run until the next inning.  Taishi Nakawake led the inning off with a one-out walk and Diego Alarcon picked up his second hit with a single up the middle. Folgers brought in Nakawake with a single down into right field to make it 16-6.  Another Long Beach pitching change led to a walk and loaded the bases for the Warriors again. Beserra flied out to centerfield for a sacrifice fly to make 17-6 for the Warriors and that was it for the Warriors scoring.  

The Warriors will go for the series sweep against Long Beach City College on Saturday, March 14th at 2:00 PM at LBCC.