Rio Hondo baseball’s Mike Salazar reaches 500 wins!

WHITTIER --- His 22-season career has been filled with memorable moments.

For Rio Hondo College baseball head coach Mike Salazar, career win No. 500 will likely appear near the top of the list. But it almost didn't happen.

With Salazar sitting on 499 victories, the Roadrunners put together a late-game rally to give him the historic win on the first attempt, an 8-5 triumph over visiting Compton College on Tuesday afternoon at The Jungle on the campus of Rio Hondo.

Rio Hondo trailed 4-3 after six innings but tied up the ball game in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a sacrifice fly off the bat of Gabriel Rico.

Compton got that run back in the top of the eighth to go back out in front 5-4. But just like so many of his teams in the past, his 2022 Roadrunners grinded out a late comeback.

Rio Hondo scored four times in the bottom of the eighth, including a two-out, two-run single from Rafael Flores to take the lead. Reliever Blake Johnson set down Compton in order in the ninth to close out the come-from-behind win and make history.

Salazar's career record currently stands at 500 wins, 302 losses, and 1 tie for an impressive .623 winning percentage.

More here: https://athletics.riohondo.edu/sports/bsb/2021-22/releases/202203021pkven