The City College baseball team gave their fans an extra Valentine’s Day gift Saturday by beating Antelope Valley twice, in a double header, improving to 10-1 this season.

The Vaqueros won its first game 6-2 behind some good pitching and timely hitting. The game was scoreless through the first 5 innings as Vaqueros’ starting pitcher Joe McGrew dueled opposing pitcher Chase Doremus.

McGrew struck out nine as he scattered seven hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings and battled throughout the game.

In the sixth inning with one out and two runners in scoring position, McGrew responded with back-to-back strikeouts. Later in the seventh McGrew got an Antelope Valley player to ground into an inning ending double play.

“I just had to buckle down and go with what I had today, fastball [and] curveball,” McGrew said. “My change up wasn’t working so I had to go with what I had.”

McGrew threw more than 100 pitches.

As McGrew kept Antelope Valley off the scoreboard, City College was looking to turn things around. And in the sixth inning the wait was over.

Vaqs’ left fielder Aaron Bauman sent a three-run shot over the center field fence. The ball was accompanied with the Antelope Valley centerfielder, who flipped over the wall while trying to make the catch.

The first ruling on the field held Bauman at third base, but after deliberation the home plate umpire awarded Bauman the homerun. The home plate umpire explained to the Antelope Valley coach that the ball hit the player as he left the field of play.

Bauman was not sure that the 1 and 1 pitch was gone when it left the bat he said, “I just put my head down and started running.”

“Bauman has really been carrying our offense right now in the early part of our season,” Vaqs head coach Teddy Warrecker said. “Once again he got the big hit for us in a tight ball game.”

The homerun was Bauman’s team leading third of the year and was just the spark that the Vaqs needed to get there offense started and keep it going into the second game.

In game 2 City College won 10-2. Like game 1, the Vaqs relied on their starting pitcher to keep the visiting Marauders under wraps. Connor Whalen struck out 7 through six scoreless innings, in rout to his third win this season.

Santa Barbara raised havoc on base paths all day long stealing 14 bases altogether. Jeremy Baum showcased his leadoff speed by swiping 4 bases on the day, 3 in game two.

“[Stolen bases] It’s definitely a big part of our offense,” Warrecker said. “If teams are going to give us an opportunity to run, it helps us stay out of a double play. We’re trying to get everyone as uncomfortable as possible in the infield, catchers included. It’s definitely a huge part of our philosophy.”

The Vaqueros next home game is 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Sports Pavilion.