Down one going into the bottom of the ninth, the San Bernardino Valley College baseball team executed when it counted.

Adrian Diaz doubled home pinch runner Raymond Ramirez with the tying run, and one batter later, Sky Donaldson doubled home Diaz as the Wolverines rallied for two runs in the ninth to knock off College of the Desert 7-6 Tuesday afternoon in a Inland Empire Athletic Conference game.

The victory moved SBVC to .500 on the season (17-17) and helped the Wolverines keep pace in the tight race for second place in the IEAC with six games to play.

Cristian Leos led off the ninth against pitcher Brandon Deth with a bloop line single over shortstop, and was replaced at first by Ramirez. Leadoff hitter Jeremiah Acosta executed a perfect bunt to move Ramirez to second, setting up Diaz's double to the gap in left-center. Deth was replaced by reliever Victor Ramirez - who entered the game with 33 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. Gama Martinez was issued an intentional walk to put runners on first and second for Donaldson, who ripped a 0-1 pitch down the third base line to set off the celebration on the field.

SBVC had opened the game scoring three times in the first inning against starter Matthew Wallin. Acosta led off by beating out a high chopper behind the mound. Diaz followed with a single to left-center, moving Acosta to third. Martinez grounded into a fielder's choice to score Acosta and Donaldson followed with a triple to the gap in right-center. Cainon Wrisley's groundout to second scored Donaldson to make it 3-0.

Desert chipped away at the lead, tying the game in the fifth before SBVC scored once in the fifth and sixth to take the lead back. In the fifth, Diaz slid in around a tag at the plate as Wrisley executed a safety squeeze. Then, in the sixth, Will Van Dyke doubled with one out, then took third on a wild pitch. He scored on a groundout by Devean Mahoney to give SBVC a 5-3 lead.

The Roadrunners took their first lead with a three-run seventh, setting up SBVC's late-game heroics.

SBVC starter Colton Caldwell gave up three hits and allowed one run, striking out two in three innings of work before giving way to Alan Gibbons. He struck out two in 3 1/3 innings of work, allowing Desert's other five runs - only three earned - before giving way to Christofer Melano. Melano picked up his fifth win of the year, striking out two and allowing only one hit in the final 2 2/3.

Tuesday's game began the round-robin portion of the IEAC schedule, with SBVC hosting Victor Valley at 2 p.m. Thursday.