After winning five straight games, Gavilan is sitting pretty at the top of the Coast Pacific Conference.
The Rams eclipsed the now second place Ohlone College after beating Mission College 11-5 on Thursday and blanking Skyline College 8-0 on Saturday.
Two Gavilan players had back-to-back perfect performances at the plate. Tony Amaral went 5 for 5 on Thursday against Mission and scored three runs and drove in two RBIs.
Bryant Cid followed suit against Skyline, also going 5 for 5 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Win over Mission
The Rams jumped on Mission early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. With runners on second and third, Erik Barron tripled to drive the runners—John Forestieri and Amaral—home. Kevin Burley grounded out in his at bat, but it was enough time to score Barron for a 3-0 lead.
Gavilan added two more in the top of the second. With two outs, Amaral singled to score Rex Lagman. Amaral scored on the next play when Forestieri singled, giving the Rams a 5-0 lead.
Mission scored two runs in the bottom of the third and three in the fourth to tie the game at 5-all.
But the tie didn’t last long.
Amaral singled to lead off the top of the fifth and Forestieri brought him home, tripling on the next play. Barron doubled on the next play to score Forestieri, retaking the lead, 7-5, for Gavilan.
With two on in the top of the seventh, Tyler Slayday doubled to send both runners home. Matt Peterson and Burley scored to give Gav a 9-5 lead.
Amaral had one more hit in him as he doubled in the top of the eighth to send Cid home. Peterson capped off scoring for Gavilan in the final frame when he came home on a passed ball.
Gabe Katich got the win on the bump, tossing six solid innings. He allowed five runs—four earned—on nine hits, struck out six and walked three.
Gavilan combined for 17 hits against Mission. Forestieri and Slayday each had three a piece and drove in two RBIs. Forestieri also scored two runs.
Shutting down Skyline
Barron went the distance for Gavilan and allowed just four hits against Skyline. He struck out nine and walked just two batters for the win.
Gavilan was quick to pounce on Skyline Saturday and loaded the bases in the top of the second inning.
Brennan Wilson walked—the third of the inning—to send Sean Allen strolling home for the first run of the game.
Cid singled and advanced to second on an error to clear the bases as Wilson, Lagman and Slayday all scored. Amaral grounded out, but moved Cid to third. A Forestieri single scored Cid and put Gavilan ahead 5-0.
The Rams added another in the top of the third when Slayday doubled to score Peterson.
Gavilan got on base, but stranded six runners until finally scoring again in the top of the eighth.
Wilson led off with a single and Cid doubled to bring him home. Amaral doubled in the next at bat to score Cid.
Gavilan (22-11 overall, 14-8 in conference) will play its second to last game of the regular season at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at Cabrillo. It closes out the regular season at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against Hartnell at home.
SOFTBALL
MPC shuts out Gavilan
The Rams dropped their fifth straight game as they lost 8-0 to the Lobos at Monterey Peninsula College Thursday.
The Lobos scored six runs in the bottom of third and two more in the fourth for the final.
Gavilan (7-26 overall, 2-13 in conference) will play its season finale at 3 p.m. tomorrow at West Valley College in Saratoga.
