The SRJC baseball team opened the 2013 season with a bang after ending last season with a dud.
The Bear Cubs headed to Hayward Feb. 1 to face conference foe Chabot College, defeating the Gladiators by a final score of 6-4. The next day the team faced Chabot again, this time at Sypher Field, once again defeating the Gladiators 6-4.
SRJC then squared off against Cañada College at Sypher Field Feb. 5. Starting pitcher Brett Obranovich provided a solid start for the Bear Cubs, lasting five-plus innings while limiting Cañada to just three hits and no runs. The Bear Cubs offense responded by giving Obranovich plenty of run support.
“The pitching performance by Obranovich was crucial to our game,” said infielder Brent Gillespie. “He filled up the zone with strikes very consistently and got leadoff outs.”
Infielder Nico Filice and outfielder Siosi Poti were all over the base paths, which gave the middle of the lineup a chance to drive them in. In the bottom half of the third inning, Filice reached on a bunt single and first basemen Anthony Sequeira drew a walk, setting up an RBI opportunity for Gillespie. Gillespie proceeded to drive a first pitch fastball into right-center field, scoring both Filice and Sequeira.
“When [runners] get on that causes problems for the opposing pitcher. They worry about the runners and throw a mistake pitch that we can hammer into the gap,” Gillespie said.
In the sixth inning the Bear Cubs’ offense continued to set the table for the rest of the lineup. Filice got on base again after working a walk and outfielder Ryan Xepoleas doubled to center field, putting two runners in scoring position with no outs. One batter later, Sequeira drew a walk to load the bases.
After a Gillespie strikeout, it was up to catcher Spencer Neve to come through in the clutch. Following a long battle, Neve lined a 2-2 pitch over a leaping third baseman and down the left field line, scoring all three runners. The Bear Cubs defeated Cañada by a final score of 7-0.
The Bear Cubs will look for their offense to continue to produce and pitching to stay solid as the team travels to Oakland to face Laney College at 2 p.m. Feb. 12.
