The Los Medanos College Mustangs leaned on an explosive first inning to defeat Laney College 10-6 in the first game of a three-game series this recent Tuesday on April 14. With the win, LMC extended its streak to seven games and built momentum after a 12-3 victory over Laney earlier in the season.
LMC controlled the start of the game early, showing dominance on both sides of the field. Laney was quickly retired in the top of the first inning behind aggressive pitching from LMC’s starter No. 25 Caleb Emmons, putting pressure on Laney to adjust. That pressure only grew in the bottom half.
With all the bases loaded, LMC took advantage when No. 24 Antonio Moreira hit a ball to left center field, driving in two runs and giving the Mustangs an early 2-0 lead while keeping themselves in scoring position. Laney was forced to call a timeout to stop LMC’s momentum.
The Mustangs kept it going. With two walks and one out, No. 1 Zach Madrigal delivered another big hit, driving in two more runs. Although he was tagged out attempting to stretch the play at second, LMC jumped out to a fierce 4-0 lead by the end of the inning.
Laney responded in the second inning, taking advantage of a few defensive mistakes to get on the board and cut the lead to 4-1. LMC, however, struggled to answer in the bottom half as Laney’s defense shifted the momentum.
The Mustangs regained control in the third inning with strong defensive play. A standout moment came from No. 11 Carlos Garcia, who made a clean outfield catch to help secure two quick outs.
That defensive energy carried into the bottom half, where Garcia delivered one of the biggest plays of the game.
Leading off the inning, he launched a home run to deep left field, extending the Mustangs’ lead to 5-1 and silencing Laney’s momentum.
Both teams traded runs in the fourth inning. Laney added a run, but LMC responded with two more runs of its own. RBIs from No. 35 Brendan Lister and No. 7 Chris Olsen extended the lead, with Garcia continuing to make an impact.
The game took a turn in the fifth inning. Laney surged back with a four-run rally, including a home run, cutting the deficit to just one run at 7-6.
Despite the pressure, the Mustangs remained locked in. While they were unable to score in the bottom of the fifth, the team stayed focused and relied on its defense in the next inning. LMC held Laney scoreless in the sixth, and maintained the narrow lead.
Head coach Bob Ralston credited the team’s consistency and ability to deliver in key moments.
“We swung the bat really well again today,” Ralston said. “We had a lot of clutch two-out hits… guys came through when we had runners in scoring position.”
Ralston also emphasized the importance of the early break, while acknowledging Laney’s resilience.
“It was real important to get that early lead,” he said. “But Laney’s a good ball club. They answered back and made it a one-run game, and we had to respond late.”
LMC did just that in the later innings. By the bottom of the eighth, the Mustangs had extended their lead to 9-6 and continued to apply pressure. Another RBI from Madrigal pushed the score to 10-6, giving LMC breathing room heading into the final inning.
With a four-run lead, LMC’s reliever, No. 22 Josh Rodriquez, closed out the game in the ninth, securing the victory and keeping the team’s win streak.
Carlos Garcia, who made a major impact with both his bat and defense, said the team’s approach remained simple despite the ups and downs.
“I think the game went really well,” Garcia said. “Pitchers were able to execute, hitters were swinging the bat, we just have to keep it going,”
After Laney’s fifth-inning surge, Garcia emphasized the team’s ability to stay composed under pressure.
“We know what we can do as a team,” he said. “When things get shaky, you just have to slow everything down and not freak out.”
Ralston agreed with Garcia, praising his team’s growth.
“They handled the pressure very well,” he said. “They stayed on course and just took it one pitch at a time.”
The Mustangs will look to carry their momentum into the next matchup as they aim to extend their win streak and take control of the series. Their next matchup is on Thursday, April 16, at Laney.
