The West Valley baseball team jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead and then added a three-run eighth to post a 9-6 win at Hartnell Saturday. Nate Petrov roped a two-out double that drove in Danny O'Reilly and Jonathan Teschner in the top of the first just after Teschner had knocked in Robby Zanardelli and Jared Reupert with a bunt and an error. After the Panthers (12-14, 3-5 Coast-Pacific) added three runs in the home half of the first, Pako Vehikite opened the top of the second with a solo HR to left for a 5-3 Viking lead. West Valley (13-15, 6-3 Coast-Golden Gate) took a 6-4 lead to the ninth and put three insurance runs on the board. Erik Ochoa, inserted into the lineup at third an inning earlier, had the key hit, sending a pitch back up the middle for a single that scored Teschner and Jake Pao. Reliever Mason Mooney extinguished a one-out bases-loaded Hartnell threat with a strikeout and a game-ending fly to Pao in center. West Valley opens a six-game homestand against City College of San Francisco (7-20, 0-9 CGG) Tuesday (4/2). First pitch is 2:30pm.
