Orange Coast College's women's basketball team, fresh off a buzzer-beating, tournament winning shot at the 26th-Annual Conoco-Phillips Tournament, played at Cuesta College, adds one more heartbreaking loss to another team's standings.

According to OCC's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli, the lady Pirates (8-3) "led most of the first half and carried a 41-31 lead one minute into the second half before the (Mt. San Jacinto) Eagles (7-1) found their spark and ripped off 12 straight points, forcing the Pirates into a pair of timeouts.

"Both teams traded baskets and the lead for the next few minutes before the Pirates responded with a game-changing 13-0 run, highlighted by eight points from Michelle Lewis (pictured) and a pair of buckets from (Samantha) Hansen, giving Coast a 64-52 lead with 6:40 left."

Coast's Amanda Deal led the lady Pirates once again with 11 and 10 apiece from Danielle Keneipp and Hansen.

Click here to read full game summary by Altobelli.

OCC returns to action on Friday in the opening round of the Coast Christmas Classic against El Camino, beginning at 7 p.m.

[Photo courtesy of Justin Yamasaki]

Santa Ana/Orange Coast

Score: 7/10
First downs: 4/6
Rushes-yards (net): 19-85/14-25
Passing yards (net): 38/27
Passes attempt-completions-interceptions: 15-6-2/14-4-2
Total offense plays-yards: 34-123/28-52

Interceptions returns-yards: 2-15/2-13
Penalties-yards: 3-25/5-45
Possession time: 16:58/13:02

Third down conversion: 3 of 9/1 of 7
Red-zone scores-chances: 1-2/0-0

Passing leaders: Jordan Thomas (6-of-15 for 38 yards, 2 interceptions)/Kyle Manning (1-of-6 for 15 yards, 2 interceptions)
Rushing leaders: Devin DeLeon (56-yards on 2 carries, 1 TD)/Ray Holley (45-yards on 9 carries)
Receiving leaders: Anthony Martin (18-yards on 2 catches)/Kalii Kunitomo (15-yards on 1 catch)

Scoring plays
1st (14:47) - Lano Fuentes on a 94-yard kickoff return (Lucas Vanderman kick): 7-0
1st (8:21) - Chase Lansford on 38-yard field goal: 7-3
2nd (6:06) - Devin DeLeon on 49-yard run (Lansford kick): 7-10

[Stats provided by OCC's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli]

The men's soccer team played its first preseason game before the 2009 fall semester at home and lost 3-1 to Rio Hondo College on Aug. 27.

I'd write a summary myself but OCC's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli beat me to it. [Click here to read the game recap]

After talking to head coach Laird Hayes at practice on Monday (Aug. 31), he said Toshi Fujimura, an all-Orange Empire Conference player in 2008, will not play for the Pirates in the fall because he did not pass a three-unit online class to be academically eligible.

He added the team still has depth and can be competitive despite losing Fujimura.

The Pirates will play its second home game today (Sept. 1) against San Diego Mesa College at 4 p.m.

Results of the SD Mesa game will be posted later on the blog today.

EDIT

The Pirates are back on top, as the men's soccer team defeated visiting San Diego Mesa College 2-1 Tuesday at the OCC Soccer Complex.

I was also taking some pictures of Tuesday's game and will have those up in the near future.

To read the game summary written by Altobelli, click here.

[Photo by Tony Lee]

The sounds of helmets and pads banging against each other will fill up the LeBard Stadium at Orange Coast College soon.

But it'll be quieter at OCC this year since the Pirates will be without Dean DeLeone (No. 46), last year's Southern California National Division, Southern Conference's Defensive Player of the Year.

In azcentral.com, Bob Young wrote about the 6-foot-2, 245-pounder junior-transfer DeLeone and how he's the oldest player on the Arizona State University's football team.

In fact, today (Aug. 13) is his 26th birthday and I figure the OCC Sports Blog should celebrate his birthday with a post.

As a Pirate in 2008, DeLeone had 78 total tackles (32 solo) with 15.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, five pass breakups, seven quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, according to OCC's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli.

DeLeone was also a force on special teams and averaged 37.7 yards per return and, I am proud to say I've witnessed this, had a 97-yard return for a touchdown.

Happy birthday Dean. Coast will miss your presence on the gridiron this season.

[Photo courtesy of Hank Schellingerhout]

Yours truly and OCC Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli have picked the top 10 athletes/tandems/groups who played exceptionally well this semester.

In the May 13 issue of the Coast Report, I will reveal No. 6 through 10 on the list and in the May 20 issue (the final issue of the semester), I will reveal the rest of the picks.

But the blog will profile the athletes/tandems/groups in-depth so keep checking back.

Head coach Travis Turner told me anything can happen if they get to the final four but they had to beat Moorpark College to get there.

Earlier this year, the Pirates lost in straight sets to Moorpark but on April 21, Coast won in a hard-fought five-set game.

Turner said both teams are similar and he seemed confident that his players matched up well against Moorpark. All year long, he's said it's not the talent the team lacks, it's how they play once they're on the court.

In a press release by OCC Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli, Turner said, "It was by far, our best effort as a group of the season. Most of the year, we'd win a few points, lose a few points and get totally flustered. (On Tuesday), we'd lose a few points, but we did a much better job of shrugging it off and playing through the adversity."

The Pirates took the court on April 23 at the CCCAA Men's Volleyball State Championships to play against conference and school rivals the Golden West College Rustlers.

In its prior two meetings, the Pirates lost both games - one at home after starting off a set 5-0.

Altobelli wrote a great summary of the game so I won't say anything more about it. [Click here to read about the GWC vs. OCC matchup in the final four]

I want to give a shoutout to Turner for coaching another successful season and a thanks for allowing me to cover the team. Going to the third-straight final four is ridiculously impressive at a Community College program - it shows the strength of the coaches.

I want to give a shoutout to sophomore player Jake Melone. He's been leading the Pirates all year long, Turner has said nothing but good things about his character and one of the nicest guys I've met this year. I wish both of them nothing but good luck.

Also, the Coast Report got an e-mail from a "Mike Stewart" that said why the paper didn't cover the men's volleyball in the final four. There's also a Mike Stewart on the team also. I don't know if it's the same two but if it is, I want to say I didn't forget about you guys.

[Photo courtesy of Orange Coast College]

Here are the final results from the game.

Santa Ana College: 4 runs, 9 hits, 0 error
Orange Coast College: 2 runs, 9 hits, 1 error

Winning pitcher: Christian Meza (7-0) - 2 earned runs, 9 hits, 0 walks, 13 strikeouts
Losing pitcher: Calvin Drummond (6-3) - 4 earned runs, 8 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

SAC's record (21-9, 10-5 in conference)
OCC's record (21-8, 12-3 in conference)

I would write a game summary too but Coast's Sport Information Director Tony Altobelli beat me to it.

Click here to read his game summary.

Stay tuned for interviews and my shout outs and thanks.

I'm completely bummed right now. I always miss the great games.

The OCC baseball team on Saturday scored 21 runs against Riverside Community College to win its 11th straight game.

I repeat, 21 runs.

Coast's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli posted an article of exactly what happened on the OCC athletics website and I thought I should share it with you guys (Click here to read about it).

Also, in case you didn't know, the entire OCC baseball team was picked as the Pirate of the Week for scoring 14 runs in one inning in the second week of this semester.

I repeat, 14 runs, one inning.

Our baseball team is definitely exciting to watch and has one of the most potent offenses in the Orange Empire Conference and probably the state too.

This, along with that I'm covering Coast's next game live, should entice all the OCC students and faculty to come out to Wendell Pickens Field Thursday at 2 p.m. to support the team.

Go Pirates and (my magical shoes and) I will see you in the stands.

[Photo courtesy of Orange Coast College]

Your Orange Coast College Pirates have taken the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Coast's Corey Schultz hit a bloop single to left field that went in-and-out of Saddleback's Kevin Mota. Next batter D.J. Arellano hit another single to set the stage for Tony Altobelli's pregame pick make an impact for the Pirates.

Ryan Sheeks came through for the Pirates scoring both the game-tying run and the go-ahead run on a bases-clearing triple.

The Pirates have a 4-3 lead.

Coast increased its lead to 8-3 in the next inning. Drew Hilman, Scott Hong, pitcher Brett Williams (who is in position to earn his second save of the season) and Ryan Dunn scored in the inning.

Go Pirates.

Yours truly is at Orange Coast College's Wendell Pickens Field to cover the baseball game between OCC and Saddleback College.

Here are the starting lineups.

Saddleback College

1) Center fielder Brett Vertigan
2) Right fielder Jeff Montenegro
3) Designated hitter Sean Parvin
4) First baseman Trevor Whyte
5) Third baseman Dalton Sype
6) Shortstop Darren Coombs
7) Second baseman Chris Mata
8) Left fielder Kevin Mota
9) Catcher Tyler Krobetzky

Pitcher Robby Ross

Orange Coast College

1) Left fielder Ryan Sheeks
2) Center fielder Mykal Stokes
3) Third baseman Drew Hillman
4) Pitcher Brett Wallach
5) Shortstop Beck Wheeler
6) Right fielder Scott Hong
7) First baseman Kevin Clark
8) Second baseman Ryan Dunn
9) Catcher D.J. Arellano

In the first inning, both teams went three up and three down.

I'm sitting in the announcers booth with Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli watching the baseball game.

Altobelli said that Sheeks had an impressive batting practice and thinks he'll play well today.

Go Pirates!

First, I want to congratulate the Orange Coast College men's and women's track and field team for today's victory. I had a blast covering the home meet and look forward to covering another meet in the near future.

I want to give a shout out to the Coast Report's staff writer Farren Benjamin who competed in the women's long jump, triple jump, javelin and hammer throw. She had three personal bests today. Congratulations.

Hey, it's my blog. I can talk about one of our writers if I want to.

I also want to give a shout out to Caleb Monticalvo and Lisa Dolan for finding time to get interviewed by me. Click here to see their pictures and the interview.

Finally, I want to give a shout out to the OCC trainers for covering men's and women's swim meet, softball and tennis in addition to the track meet. You guys work hard and deserve a lot of credit.

I want to thank OCC's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli for hanging out with me today while I was updating my blog. Incase you didn't know, Tony was the announcer for the event and, if I say so myself, did a fantastic job.

I also want to thank OCC's head track and field coach John Knox for providing me with all the stats and a place to set up my laptop.

And thank you to everyone that said, "Hi" or, "Good job" today.

I'm at the scoring tent with Orange Coast College's Sports Information Director Tony Altobelli and having a blast.

And we have a question for the track and field male athletes: why do runners and sprinters have shaggy hair? Don't you want to be as aerodynamic as possible?

Weird.

[Photo by Tony Lee]