LOPEZ STRIKES OUT 10 IN 7-6 WIN OVER DESERT

As a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth, Brendan Gerbert grounded into a fielder's choice that produced the go-ahead run to give the Knights a 7-6 home victory over College of the Desert on Saturday afternoon. 

The win was City's second straight over Desert as they won the series, 2-1, and improved to 12-11 overall and 7-5 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. Desert, meanwhile, dropped to 8-20 overall and 6-6 in the PCAC. 

Knights' starting pitcher Frank Lopez recorded his state-best 4th complete game with 10 strikeouts. Saturday's game was the third time this season that Lopez struck out at least 10 batters. His season-best was 14 strikeouts on March 9 against Imperial Valley. 

After falling behind 2-1, the Knights scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead. Logan led off with a solo home run over the left field fence, his first of the season. Later in the inning after reaching on a walk, Addison Hull came around to score from second base on a wild pitch.

Desert tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly, but the Knights responded with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Cole Flint's bases-loaded ground ball scored Anthony Warneke and an error by second baseman Jarred Soriano allowed Blake Newman to cross home plate.

Desert regained a 6-5 lead with three runs in the seventh, but City tied it in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Warneke and then took the lead for good in the eighth on Gerbert's game-winning RBI.

The Knights have won four of the last five games and will begin a 3-game series with Grossmont on Tuesday, April 4.