Early Offensive Surge, Orozco’s Strong Start Lift Taft Over Merced 5–2

A three-run third inning and a dominant start from right-hander Julian Orozco pushed Taft College to a 5–2 win over Merced on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field. The Cougars scored in each of the first three innings to build a 5–1 cushion and then rode Orozco's seven-inning outing to the finish in a game that lasted just 1 hour, 55 minutes.

Taft struck first in the bottom of the first. Zaden Kekoa D. Sibal was hit by a pitch, moved up on a wild pitch and came home when Noah Duran put a ball in play that went for a run-scoring fielder's choice, giving the Cougars a 1–0 lead. Merced responded quickly in the top of the second when Andrew Orozco tied the game with a solo home run, the visitors' first hit and their only earned run against Julian Orozco.

The Cougars immediately answered in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead for good. With one out, Landon Angelo reached and later came around when Sibal lined an RBI single, pushing Taft back in front 2–1. That sequence set the tone for a decisive third inning in which the Taft lineup created separation.

Taft broke the game open in the third with a three-run frame that chased home the final runs it would need. Angelo delivered the biggest swing of the day, a two-RBI single that stretched the lead to 4–1. Later in the inning, Gaku Yamamoto added a run on a sacrifice that plated another Cougar to make it 5–1. Angelo finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs, and Sibal added two hits and an RBI while reaching three times, including his first-inning hit-by-pitch.

On the mound, Julian Orozco set the tone with 7.0 effective innings. The right-hander limited Merced to one earned run while striking out eight, scattering six hits and working efficiently with the early run support. Taft's staff combined for nine strikeouts on the day and allowed just two walks, helping the Cougars strand six Merced baserunners. Taft's defense was charged with one error, but it did not lead to an earned run against Orozco.

Merced starter Daniel Mazon absorbed the loss despite pitching into the seventh. He went 6.0 innings, allowing eight hits and five runs, though only three were earned, and struck out four. Merced's offense was highlighted by Orozco's solo home run and a late push in the ninth. Ren Nakamichi reached on a fielding error and later scored on an RBI single from Andrew Sevilla, cutting the deficit to 5–2, but the rally stalled there.

Taft finished with eight hits to Merced's six and left just four runners on base, capitalizing on its early opportunities before the game settled into a pitchers' duel. With the home win in front of 80 fans at Cougar Field, the Cougars continued to showcase a balanced formula of timely hitting and strong starting pitching that will be pivotal as they move deeper into the spring schedule.