Taft closes San Joaquin Delta series with 11-2 home loss

Taft College pitchers will be happy to not have to face the No. 1 Northern California-ranked San Joaquin Delta College lineup again for the remainder of the regular season.

Coming off a 24-4 loss on Tuesday in Stockton, the two squads closed up a two-game non-conference series with an 11-2 Delta win at Taft on Thursday afternoon.

Taft totaled just four hits in the contest, all coming off Delta starting pitcher Robert Gasser. He overpowered the Cougars, collecting 11 strikeouts over his five innings on the mound.

The Cougars were able to get to Gasser early, scoring a run in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Andres Rolon lined a double and promptly came in to score on Buster Hardman's RBI single.

Delta (5-1) put two runs in the top of the third and scored two more off Taft starter Cassius Shy in the fourth to take the lead for good. Shy took the loss, allowing two earned runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings. He was wild, walking six while striking out three.

Taft got its final run in the bottom of the fourth. Wes Herbert singled to lead off the frame and moved to second after Greyson Barrett walked. Keegan Vialpando was hit by a pitch to load up the bases and set up a potential big inning for the Cougars.

Colon grounded out to bring in a run and cut the Delta lead to 4-2. But with runners on second and third with one out, Gasser struck out the next two batters he faced to end the threat.

Thursday's loss dropped Taft to 1-5 overall. The Cougars will look to snap their two-game losing streak on Friday (Feb. 8) when they host Moorpark College in a 1 p.m. non-conference game.