THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - On opening day Cal Lutheran erupted for 12 runs in the final four innings of game one to defeat Emory (Ga.) 13-2 Saturday and despite committing four errors defensively, the Kingsmen still sent the game-tying run to the plate in the eighth inning of game two but couldn't get the big hit and fell 11-8 in the night cap.
In game one each team scratched across a run in the first inning but neither could continue the offensive momentum. Emory held Cal Lutheran scoreless for four innings while CLU starting pitcher Jake Petersen was equally impressive, retiring 10 of the next 12 batters he faced.
With Petersen holding the Emory offensive attack at bay, the Kingsmen broke through in the bottom of the fifth when Davey Casicola reached on an error and then hustled from first to third on a chopper from Austin Kay. Justin Cana then sent a liner back up the middle to score Casciola and give CLU the 2-1 lead. Cal Lutheran then chased Emory starting pitcher Paul Merolla after loading the bases and Ramsey Abushala singled through the left side to plate Cana and Nicho DellaValle. Collin Crowl poured it on when he followed with a bases-clearing double into the right field corner. Nick Cohan gave CLU a sixth run of the inning after lacing a single up the middle, scoring Crowl and giving the Kingsmen a 7-1 lead.
In the top half of the sixth inning, Petersen walked the first batter but then got Cody Wetmore to ground into a 6-4-3 double play and another ground out to end any Eagles rally.
The Kingsmen would tack on two more runs in the bottom of the inning when Cana was hit by a pitch and brought in by a DellaValle double down the right field line. Petersen would help his own cause by singling in DellaValle during the next at-bat and giving CLU a 9-1 lead.
CLU would score one insurance run in the seventh and three more in the eighth to seal the victory.
Petersen (1-0) went 7.0 innings, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out eight. The senior also went 2-for-3 at the plate. Tyler Hebda pitched the final two innings, giving up three hits and striking out two.
Each of Cal Lutheran's starters had at least one hit while Cana led at the plate by going 3-for-4 with four runs scored and an RBI. DellaValle had three hits to go along with three runs scored. Kay had two hits in his debut for the Kingsmen while Abushala and Crowl both knocked in two runs. Gabe Gunter also collected an RBI single in his CLU debut.
Merolla (0-1) took the loss for the Eagles, going 4.2 innings giving up six runs but just one was earned.
Daniel Iturrey led Emory by going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Game two saw Cal Lutheran take a 2-0 lead in the first inning when DellaValle reached on an error and was later brought in by an Abushala single. On the very next pitch, Crowl roped a double into the right field gap, plating Abushala from first base.
Emory took the lead in the top of the third after loading the bases and CLU starting pitcher Scotty Peters' pick-off throw ricocheted off of Brandon Hannon's helmet and went into right field, allowing Jordan Selbach to score. Brett Lake would then single into left field scoring two more Eagles and giving Emory a 3-2 lead.
The Kingsmen regained the lead the next inning when Petersen had a two-RBI double to right field and Abushala followed with an RBI single to centerfield and made the score 5-4.
Unfortunately for CLU, the Kingsmen would commit three errors and surrender four unearned runs over as Emory retook the lead at 11-5.
Showing some late life, CLU battled back to score three runs in the bottom of the eighth when Casciola and Gunter each had RBI doubles and even sent the game-tying run to the plate but Emory would get out of the inning without any further damage after getting a Cal Lutheran ground out.
Petersen led off the ninth with a bloop double down the left field line but Emory pitcher Mike Bitanga would get three straight outs and earn his first save of the year.
Brett Lake led the Eagles at the plate in game two by going 4-for-5 with three RBIs.
Hans Hansen (1-0) earned the win after going 6.0 innings and allowing just three runs.
Peters would get the no-decision after pitching 5.0 innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits and striking out two.
Abushala, Cana and Petersen all had two hits and at least an RBI in game two for the Kingsmen.
With the win, Emory improves to 2-1 on the year.
Cal Lutheran (1-1) will have the following weekend off before starting Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play on Friday, Feb. 21 when it travels to Pomona-Pitzer. First pitch in Claremont is set for 2:00 p.m.
Game 1 Box Score: CLU 13 EU 2
Game 2 Box Score: EU 11 CLU 8
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