Bakersfield College got its eighth win in nine attempts after beating L.A. Valley 8-7 on March 5 at Gerry Collis Field.

With the victory, the Renegades improved to 12-5 overall and 5-1 in the Western State Conference.

BC took an 8-5 lead into the ninth inning, but Valley scored two runs and was threatening with two on and two outs in the top of the ninth inning.

Freshman right-hander Santos Villanueva got Valley catcher Jordan Wolff to ground out to the shortstop to end the threat and the game.

The Monarchs started the scoring in the first inning with a pair of base hits that gave them an early 1-0 lead.

BC answered with five runs in the second inning as they batted around their lineup. First baseman Ross Hoffman started it off with a single, and scored two singles later to tie it up at 1-1.

That was followed by a double by Richie Newton that drove in two more runs. After infielder Daniel Anaya was hit by a pitch, James Clifford singled in Newton from second. Then Clifford stole second which allowed Anaya to score giving BC a 5-1 lead.

The offenses were silenced for the next four innings as the game turned into a pitching duel between the starters, lefty Matt Garnett and right-hander Jorge Olmedo.

“I felt like he was in complete control up until the sixth inning,” said BC coach Tim Painton of Garnett.

“His velocity is up over his last two starts and he located his change-up the best he had all season.”

Until the seventh inning that is, when both teams awakened offensively.

Valley scored three runs on four singles and a base on balls to close the gap to 5-4.

But the Renegades answered back as they manufactured three runs of their own on three walks, a sacrifice bunt, and two singles.

“I felt like the whole team played well,” said Painton. “It was an outstanding job by the entire ball club.”

The latest victory came amid a long four-game week for the Renegades.

“Our pitching staff was stretched out a little,” said Painton of the long week.

“To go 4-0 in that type of week showed that our players played well the entire week.”

BC’s next game is at 2 p.m. Thursday at College of the Canyons in Valencia, after which they will face L.A. Pierce at Woodland Hills on March 17.