Baseball Honors Altobelli, Handles Cuesta

The classic saying goes "baseball is life, and life is baseball." On January 26, 2020, the world lost one of the most influential California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) baseball coaches, John Altobelli. Altobelli was the at the helm of Orange Coast College's baseball program for 28 years and his life was tragically taken in a helicopter crash in Calabassas, CA. The crash took the lives of Altobelli's wife, Keri, and his daughter, Alyssa, along with the lives of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Giana, and others.

Prior to Riverside's non-conference game against the Cuesta College Cougars, Riverside held a tribute and a moment of silence to Altobelli and the nine victims of the tragedy.

When all was said and done, it was time for the first pitch. With emotions running on heavy, the Tigers put together a well-rounded contest that handed them a 5-1 win over Cuesta in the first game of the three-game series.

Sophomore starting pitcher Ethan Sachs was tossed the pearl for his first start of the season and suffered early woes. He allowed Cuesta to plate the opening run, but the Tiger's offense immediately struck back with a two-spot in the bottom of the frame.

With two outs in the bottom of the first inning, freshman right fielder Matthew Darr connected for a single up the middle, scoring sophomore second baseman Alex Moreno. Sophomore catcher Angel Mendoza followed with a base knock down the right field line the ensuing at-bat, scoring Darr, to grab a 2-1 lead.

Sachs settled in as he held the Cougars scoreless for the following six innings as seen in a pair of strikeouts in his final inning on the bump.

Riverside kept the bats rolling bottom of the second by scoring another run compliments Darr's second RBI single of the game, plating freshman left fielder Alphonzo Mancinas.

Mancinas continued to drive the offensive boat the following inning by barreling a deep, two-RBI triple to left field allowing freshman first baseman Gabe Briones and sophomore third baseman Matthew Ivancich to touch home leading to a 5-1 lead.

Cuesta, despite going cold at the dish the previous six innings, threatened in the top half of the seventh. After Cuesta worked the bases loaded, freshman reliever Dustin Comeau entered and forced a foul out to the catcher followed by an inning-ending double play to escape danger.

Comeau continued on to chuck two flawless innings leading to the victory.

Sachs (1-0) earned the win after tossing six innings and allowing one run and punching out four. Comeau tossed three frames of scoreless ball and fanned a pair of hitters leading to his first career save.

Offensively, Darr went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles and a run scored. Mancinas sent home two runs on a triple, while Ivancich barreled three hits including a double.

Riverside (2-0) will continue action at home on Friday, January 31 against Cuesta (1-1) for the second game of the three-game series. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.