Rams rout Cabrillo 21-2 at home

GILROY — Gavilan College pounded out 17 hits and scored in five of eight innings to rout visiting Cabrillo College in a Coast Conference blowout at home.

Gavilan broke the game open early and never looked back, scoring four runs in the first, five in the third, five more in the sixth and five again in the eighth to make short work of a Cabrillo pitching staff that also issued 10 walks and hit four batters on the day.

Jacob Huerta led the offensive attack, going 4-for-5 with a double, four RBI and two runs scored. Mateo Alcantar reached base five times in five plate appearances — going 2-for-2 with three walks — while scoring four runs and driving in three. Orlando Lewis added three hits, including two doubles, and finished with four RBI.

Jacob Gilbreath chipped in two hits and two RBI, Devin Aragon went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Anthony Dela Cruz had a hit, a walk, three runs scored and an RBI. Christian Preciado drove in a run and scored twice. Eleven different Gavilan players recorded an RBI on the afternoon.

The Rams wasted no time setting the tone. In the first inning, Alcantar laced a two-run single to score Orlando Lewis and Jacob Gilbreath, then came around to score himself moments later. Jacob Huerta added a fourth run with an RBI single. The offensive eruption in the third featured a two-run double from Lewis that capped a five-run frame, while the sixth and eighth innings each saw five-run explosions that put the game thoroughly out of reach.

On the mound, Mason Pound earned the win with five innings of work, allowing two earned runs on two hits while striking out four. Brayden Martinez, Eric Richard and Wyatt Barton combined to throw four scoreless innings in relief, with Barton striking out all three batters he faced in the ninth.

The Rams snapped a six-game losing streak and improved to 14-22 overall. Gavilan, now 6-11 in the Coast Conference South Division, is back in action on Friday at West Valley College.