Rancho Santiago Rallies to Win Friday’s Game

Matt Zaun lined a two-run double down the right-field line in the bottom of the 11th inning early Saturday morning to lift Rancho Santiago College to a 9-8 victory over De Anza in the first round of the state community college baseball tournament in front of 1,000 at UC Irvine.

It was only the 14th at-bat of the season for Zaun, a seldom-used catcher, but it ended the game at 12:44 a.m. Saturday after 4 hours and 52 minutes.

Don Roberson had replaced starting catcher Joey Townsend in the top of the ninth. Roberson’s RBI single tied the score, 7-7, in the ninth, but he came out for a pinch-runner.

De Anza scored in the top of the 11th to take an 8-7 lead, but Todd Lloyd had a one-out single to start Rancho Santiago’s rally in its half of the inning.

Mike Gonzales followed with a fly ball that center fielder Todd Brennan dropped for an error. Zaun followed with a drive down the line to drive in both runners.

Richard West (10-4) took the loss, and Brett Snyder (3-1) got the victory.