Gagain, Vaqueros slam Sequoias 12-5

Jake Gagain broke open a tight game with a grand slam in the fourth inning on Saturday and SBCC went on to beat Sequoias 12-5 in a nonconference baseball game at Pershing Park.

The Vaqueros (2-5) won the three-game series 2-1. The Giants fell to 2-4.

SBCC scored three in the first frame and three more in the third to take a 6-1 lead. Sequoias tallied four in the fourth to pull within a run, 6-5.

The Vaqueros loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth on two walks sandwiched around a double by Alex Heim. Gagain, a 6-4 sophomore from Lithia, Fla., sent a rocket shot over the left-field fence to make it 10-5.

Santa Barbara has piled up 25 runs on 25 hits the last two days.

"We're showing what we're capable of," said Gagain. "We're stringing a lot of hits together and getting a lot of clutch two-out hitting. I couldn't have hit that slam without great work by the guys in front of me getting on base."

Nicolas Bereaud continued his hot hitting. He drove in the Vaqueros' first run with a single in the first and added an RBI double in the third, giving him nine RBIs in two days. He finished 2-3 on Saturday and was 6-8 in the 3-game series with 2 homers (including a grand slam), three doubles and three walks.

"Our bats came alive again," said coach Jeff Walker. "We had some key two-out and two-strike hitting. It's nice to see two grand slams in two days. Davis Messer finished strong after being a little tentative early.

Messer (1-2) went the first seven innings on the mound, allowing five runs on eight hits. Caleb Duhay tossed two shutout innings to finish up.

Wesley Ghan-Gibson went 2-5 with three RBIs and Heim had a double and a triple.

Sequoias used seven pitchers and they gave up 12 runs on 11 hits and nine walks. Starter Thomas Dunehew got the loss after surrendering six runs on six hits with four walks in 2 2/3 innings.

"We did a great job of winning the series against a playoff team that was in the Final Four two years ago," Walker stated. "Nic had an outstanding series and the guys are doing a great job of getting on base in front of him."

The Vaqueros travel to East Los Angeles on Tuesday for a 2 p.m. contest, then open defense of their WSC North title with a game at Moorpark on Saturday at 1 p.m.