CLAREMONT, Calif. - On a picturesque 82 degree Southern California afternoon, the Kingsmen baseball team got the short end of a 3-0 loss to the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens in a low scoring, well played, league game.
Box Score: PP 3, CLU 0 - F
Pomona-Pitzer struck first as Erik Munzer put a crooked number on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning with a well-hit two-run homerun, with the ultimate game winner. In the seventh he nearly mimicked that swing, but Iggy Wagner ran the ball down at the wall in centerfield for the third out of the frame.
Minnich, who tossed 7.1 innings, made just two mistakes as he scattered eight hits and three runs, all coming by way of the long ball. The righty was knocked off the hill after a no-doubt-about it solo shot to centerfield off the bat of Nick Gentili. Minnich retired the side in order in both the fifth and seventh. He finished with three strike outs in the loss.
CLU had opportunities, but were unable to put things together today on the diamond.
In the third as Kevin Leonard singled to lead things off. John Leal then layed down a perfect bunt for a single to put runners on first and second. Unfortunately, the inning ended with the bases loaded for the Kingsmen.
Another near game changer came in the sixth when Nick Boggan made solid contact, but Munzer, manning center field, made a shoe-string grab on the line drive for the second out of the inning to silence the dugout.
Garrett Smith drew a walk to lead off the eight before Wagner layed down a sacrifice bunt. A weak ground ball moved Smith to third, but gave PP a pair of outs. With two outs and the potential tying run at the plate, PP opted to walk the senior third baseman, putting runners at the corners. PP pitcher Travis Rooke-Ley could not have timed his first strike out of the day any better for the Sagehens, escaping what could have been a big inning for CLU.
CLU connected for just five hits with Leal, Leonard, Trevor Koons, Nick DeLorenzo and Nicho DellaValle each singling. DeLorenzo pinch hit to start the sixth and was hit by the second pitch he saw, reaching base twice.
Chris Park came on in relief for the Kingsmen in the eighth and retired the two batters he saw via strike out and ground ball.
Rooke-Ley went the distance, tossing a complete game for the Hens, striking out three, as he improved to 4-0 this spring. Munzer was 2-for-4 and E.J. Lopez was 2-for-2 today for PP.
Cal Lutheran (6-4, 2-2 SCIAC) and Pomona-Pitzer (7-1-1, 6-1) will meet tomorrow at George "Sparky" Anderson Field for a double header beginning at 11:00 a.m.
