IRVINE – Woodbridge’s baseball team kept within striking distance of the Pacific Coast League leader with a 12-0 victory over Irvine on Friday afternoon at Irvine.
Woodbridge (11-5, 4-1) scored four runs in both the first and second innings to break the game open against Irvine (4-12, 0-5).
The second-place Warriors moved within a game of first-place Beckman (15-1, 5-0), which didn’t play Friday. Woodbridge hosts No. 8 Beckman on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.
Senior left-hander Zak Baayoun (4-1) got the victory, pitching the first five innings, striking out nine and allowing just two hits. Mater Dei transfer Kyle Giberson, in his Woodbridge debut, pitched two scoreless innings, striking out one.
“The key is the guy on the mound,” said Woodbridge coach Tim Murray. “When you have a guy like Zak Baayoun throwing like that, it’s going to be tough on any team. He had it going today and we just have such quality senior leadership.”
Woodbridge pounded out 14 hits and had offensive contributions from many players, including Baayoun, who was 3 for 3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Jake Larson was 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored, and Ryan Santa Cruz had two doubles and two RBI.
“I came in to today with the right mindset and the right approach and it worked out for me,” Baayoun said of his hitting.
Woodbridge scored four runs in the first inning, capped by a two-run double by Santa Cruz.
In the second inning, Aharon Modlin had an RBI double and Larson drove home two runs with a single.
Irvine tried to battle back in third inning. Evan Hsiao singled and Andrew Xiao doubled with two outs, but both runners were stranded.
Contact the writer: tburt@ocregister.com
