Kim, Baseball Bombs LA Harbor, 16-5

Second baseman Andres Kim batted 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and four RBI to lead the Pasadena City College baseball team to a 16-5, South Coast Conference victory over host Los Angeles Harbor Thursday.

The Lancers, 16-9 overall, are 8-5 in conference and tied with Chaffey for first place in the SCC North Division. PCC reached a season high in hits with 17 against the Seahawks (11-15-1, 7-6 in SCC South). Pasadena swept the 2-game series v. LA Harbor. 

Trailing 2-0, Kim, a sophomore transfer, tied it with a blast over the left field fence in the third inning. The teams traded leads until Pasadena scored seven runs in the fifth to break the game open, 10-4. First baseman Jeremy Conant hit a 2-RBI double to highlight that rally. 

Overall, Conant was 3-for-6 as was third baseman Jose Jimenez (double, two RBI). Shortstop Alex Briggs batted 2-for-5 and catcher Jessie Garcia was 2-for-4. The Lancers infield (including the catcher) combined to go 14-for-26. Leftfielder Jared Esquivel took advantage of a rare start and was 1-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored. 

Reliever Matthew McElligott threw two innings (four hits, one run) for the victory while closer Nick Esparza hurled three shutout innings (two hits, three Ks) for his fourth save. 

Conant, a returning All-SCC First Team selection, is just two points behind in the state batting race with a .459 average (leads the SoCal region). 

Coach Pat McGee's Lancers begin a 3-game series next week at Rio Hondo on Tuesday, April 3 at 2:30 p.m.