Steve Akana / Roundup
On a bright blustery day, in front of perhaps the biggest crowd this season at Joe Kelly Field, Pierce College pitcher Carlos Gonzalez took to the mound to face the Glendale Community College Vaqueros Thursday.
The Brahmas baseball team had already lost to GCC twice this season and needed to win this one in order to remain hopeful for shot at the playoffs, so the pressure was on.
In the first inning the Vaqueros went down in order with Gonzalez striking out one, which was a good indication of how the game was going to play out.
The Vaqueros had a hard time offensively against Gonzalez and the rest of the team, who held them to just five hits and three runs.
“I just tried to keep it close so the offense could step up and handle business,” said Gonzalez.
Unlike their previous outings against GCC this game ended with the Brahmas up on top 5-3 after they led the entire game.
The only real threat to the Brahmas lead came in the top of the seventh inning when they committed two errors and gave up two runs, which prompted Pierce College head coach John Bushart to take the field and talk to the players.
“I just needed to tell them to settle down and close out the inning,” said Bushart. “They really played a good game.”
Gonzalez got back in the zone and struck out another batter, while the batter that followed popped it up for the third out and ended the inning with two Vaqueros stranded in scoring position.
The rest of the game Gonzalez and the Brahmas defense kept GCC at bay.
“Pierce has an outstanding pitcher [Gonzalez] who was in the zone the entire game,” said GCC head coach, Chris Cicuto.
The Brahmas win would not have been possible without their good offense, which had nine hits and five runs.
Pierce College left fielder Travis Forbes and third baseman Matt Moreno were both struck by pitches in the first inning.
In regards to the Western State Conference playoffs, it is still up in the air as to whether or not the Brahmas will be in them because it depends on Bakersfield College and Los Angeles Valley College records for the regular season.
“It looks really good and right now,” said Bushart. “We needed this win and now we just have to wait and see how Bakersfield and Valley did.”
The Brahmas will know for sure if they are in the playoffs after the head coaches meet on Sunday to see where each team placed for the season.