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PCC was beaten by Cerritos in the first two games of the series 7-2 on April 2 and 7-0 on April 4, capping off an extremely disappointing offensive performance. After losing the series finale 4-1 to Cerritos on April 6, the Lancers were swept for the third time in South Coast Conference play this season.

Head Coach Evan O’Meara was well aware of the team not being able to get into any offensive rhythm whatsoever.

“I think the word “anemic” would be used to describe the offense,” said O’Meara. “Most of the players that I have are players that are not used to seeing this caliber of pitching. We just need to continue working on adjustments.”

In the finale on April 6, Lancers sophomore starting pitcher Spencer Stute pitched very well until he got into trouble in the fifth inning, causing a run to score after a wild throw on a pickoff attempt to first base. Another Cerritos run scored after on another failed pickoff attempt to third base. This time by sophomore pitcher Trevor Gleason, who also pitched solid innings in relief of Stute.

“I felt great and thought I was having my best outing this year,” said Stute. “I was cruising until I got to the fifth inning, but the coaches pulled me out.”

On April 6, the Lancers did manage to score their lone run in the first inning when sophomore shortstop Josh Clark scored on a wild pitch by Cerritos pitcher Dylan Algra.

Despite not being able to get more than seven hits in each of the three games and only amassing a total of three runs, the Lancers had hits in each game by Clark, freshman left fielder Kori Grant and sophomore first baseman David Halstead.

After losing 9-0 in their series opener against rival Mt. SAC on April 9 at Jackie Robinson Memorial Field, the Lancers are major underdogs to get a win the remainder of the series. However, Halstead is confident in his teammates in having the potential to pull off an upset.

“We’ve just been telling each other that we have to continue just swinging the bats and eventually hits will come,” said Halstead. “The pitchers have to continue doing what they’ve been doing and as hitters we have to give our pitchers a cushion. Mt. SAC is a good team. They beat us 31-1 last year and we never forgot that. We’re aiming for the upset.”

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