Mt. SAC Baseball Wins CCCAA Playoff Opener over Santa Barbara City College, 7-3; Corneliussen Wins 11th Game

Photo Credit: Dave Aguilera / DavesSportsImage
Photo Credit: Dave Aguilera / DavesSportsImage

(Walnut, CA) Mr. Steady, Mason Corneliussen of the Mt. SAC Baseball Team, pitched another seven strong innings to record his eleventh win of the season to lead the Mounties to an opening game, 7-3 playoff win over Santa Barbara City College in the CCCAA Southern California Regionals Friday afternoon.

No. 4 seed Mt. SAC (30-11) can advance to the second round with a win on Saturday.

Corneliussen, who was named to the All-South Coast Conference first team, pitched into the seventh inning for the sixth time this season.

"Everybody is really excited to get out there and compete and I feel like we brought our energy to the field," Corneliussen said. "Everybody was playing really well today (Friday)."

"We're playing as a team and when you do a lot of things go right."

Third baseman Michael Sandoval (3 for 4, R, 3 RBIs, SB) led the Mounties with three hits and catcher Chris Sandberg (2 for 4, RBI) had two.

"It was a great team win and a number of guys stepped up and contributed," Mt. SAC coach John Knott said.

"Mason led the way on the mound by mixing up his pitches well and did a great job keeping them off balance."

"He worked out of some jams and the defense played well behind him."

Knott was also very pleased with the offensive output by the Mounties with 10 hits.

"Offensively Mike (Sandoval) paced us with three hits and three RBIs and Anthony Walters scored two runs."

"The big two-run triple by Quinn Cotter was huge."

Sandoval gave the Mounties a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run single.

Santa Barbara came right back in the top of the second with two runs to tie the game 2-2.

However, Cotter's two-run triple in the third inning gave the Mounties the lead for good, 4-2.

First baseman Dino Miranda sent Cotter home with a sacrifice fly to right field and the 5-2 lead.

The Mounties tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning on run-scoring singles by Sandoval and Sandberg for the 7-2 lead.

The Gauchos scored once in the seventh inning to trail 7-3, but Mt. SAC reliever Steven Ordorica pitched the final two innings of hitless baseball to preserve the win.

Follow Mt. SAC Baseball on twitter @mtsac_baseball

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on twitter @MtSAC_athletics or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.