Solis, Rivera, O'Neil Power Warriors to Win over Compton

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College opened South Coast Conference play with a 6-2 victory over Compton on Tuesday afternoon at Warrior Field.

Gil Solis hit his first home run of the season and Nathan Rivera drove in three to lead the Warriors offense and Cameron O'Neil was stellar on the mound to get the win.

The Warriors recorded the comeback win after trailing 1-0 early in the game. The Coyotes manufactured a run in the second inning on a dropped third strike wild pitch and RBI groundout to take a 1-0 lead. It was the only run O'Neil would allow as he went seven innings and struck out six to pick up his third win on the mound.

Coyotes starter Gabriel Cancino held the Warriors scoreless through three until Solis stepped up and hit a leadoff home run over the left-field fence to knot things up at 1-1.

The Warriors then did some manufacturing of their own, scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth without the benefit of a hit.

Solis led off with a walk and stole second. He then made it to third on a groundout to first but with one out, Nathan Rivera fouled out and Cancino looked to be on the verge of escaping the jam. But the Coyotes defense stumbled as Aden Laureano reached on a throwing error by shortstop David Avitia, allowing Solis to plate the go-ahead run to give ECC a 2-1 lead after six.

The big blow came in the seventh when Rivera stepped up and blasted a bases-loaded double off the top of the left-field fence, clearing the bases and giving the Warriors a 6-1 lead.

In the eighth, reliever Henry Sorman entered and found himself in a bases loaded, two-out jam. He walked Jaidon Carter to force in a run and make it 6-2 but then got catcher Nolan Jackson to harmlessly foul out to third to end the threat.

Sorman would pitch a perfect ninth inning to lock down the victory.

The Warriors and Coyotes are scheduled to return to action on Thursday for game two of the series at Compton with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m., weather permitting.