COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Hoelker Paces Rancho Santiago

Sophomore Mike Hoelker pitched a two-hitter and faced the minimum of 27 batters as Rancho Santiago College defeated San Diego Mesa, 2-0, in the first round of the Channel Coast tournament Wednesday at Moorpark.

Hoelker, a right-hander, had eight strikeouts and walked none. He allowed an infield single in the third but picked off the runner. He gave up a single in the seventh but the runner was thrown out stealing.

Rancho Santiago’s first run came in the fourth on a bases-empty home run by sophomore Conrad Colby, his third of the season. Chris Floth had a sacrifice fly and Colby scored on a wild pitch in the sixth.

Rancho Santiago (25-5) plays Consumus River today at 2 p.m. in the second round.

In the Alan Hancock tournament:

Cypress 7, Hancock 3--Ron Brown (3-1) pitched nine innings, allowing five hits and struck out four for Cypress (18-14) in the first round.

In the the College of the Desert softball tournament:

Orange Coast 10, Southwestern 0 (5 innings, mercy rule)--Wendy Robinson had a grand slam and Kelly Newcombe followed with a home run for OCC (26-7). OCC won the second game, 1-0, over College of the Desert. Nancy Johnson had a run-scoring single.