Warriors Use Big Inning to Down Santa Barbara

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College needed a big inning late to score an 8-2 non-conference victory over Santa Barbara on Tuesday afternoon at Warrior Field.

The Warriors (10-6) snapped a three-game losing streak with Tuesday's win but needed a six-run eight inning to secure it.

Thomas Bainton was fabulous on the mound for the Warriors, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He went eight complete and allowed two runs, one earned, on just three hits. He walked three and struck out six.

The Warriors took a 2-0 lead after three innings thanks to a sacrifice fly from Ethan Felix in the second inning and an RBI single from Dylan Knowles in the third inning. Bainton made that lead hold up until the eighth inning when Tyler Imbach reached on an error to start the frame.

Caiden Matheny followed with a double to center and then Max Porter singled in both runners to tie the game before the Warriors could record an out. Bainton would retire the next three batters to keep things tied and then the bottom of the eighth inning happened.

The bottom half of the inning started meekly for the Warriors as pitcher Aidan Garza retired the first two batters rather quickly on a groundout and a strikeout. But Jonah Storey worked a walk to keep the inning going. He would advance to third on a wild pitch and throwing error by the catcher and then came around to score when Jorge Renteria sneaked a single through the left side to make it 3-2 for the Warriors.

Felix would single to right to chase Garza from the game. Andrew Guardino entered for the Vaqueros and he was greeted with a two-run double to center field from Julio Camarena to give ECC a three-run lead.

After Jake Harper walked, Elijah Tolsma, who entered as a defensive replacement in the top of the inning, uncorked a massive three-run home run well over the left-field fence to blow the game wide open and give the Warriors the 8-2 lead. It was only Tolsma's third official at-bat of the season and first hit of the year.

James Kobylt pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the win for the Warriors.  

The Warriors and Vaqueros will return to Warrior Field on Thursday for game two of the series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.