THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - No. 7 Cal Lutheran erupted for a season-high 24 hits and Trey Saito struck out three in his debut on the mound as the Kingsmen pounded UW-Superior 20-5 in their finale of the Tucson Tournament Sunday morning. Nine different Kingsmen drove in a run while Collin Crowl led the way with a home run, double and five RBIs. Justin Cana went 5-for-7 with four runs scored and Davey Casciola tacked on four more base knocks as CLU had its highest hit total for a single game since the Kingsmen totaled 28 against La Sierra during the 2009 season.
Before the offensive fireworks could start, Saito who also plays catcher, threw a scoreless first inning in his first career start.
Cal Lutheran went right to work at the plate in the bottom of the first inning as Cana led off with a single and Nicho DellaValle followed with a base-hit of his own. Ramsey Abushahla reached on a throwing error by the UWS shortstop that allowed Cana to score and then Crowl cleared the bases with a double into the left center gap. Casciola would follow that with a base-hit and then Nick Cohan dropped a bunt down the first base line and beat throw, plating Crowl.
Saito would set the UWS side down in order with a fly out and two strikeouts in the top of the second before Crowl blasted a three-run home run to put CLU up 7-0.
UWS got three runs back in the top of the third but CLU halt any further momentum for the Yellow Jackets by responding with five runs of the their own in the bottom of the inning. After Chris Whitmer walked and Cana doubled, DellaValle punched a base-hit through the right side allowing both runners to score. Abushahla would get his team-leading 23rd RBI of the season when he ripped a single back up through the box and scoring DellaValle. Crowl would reach and advance to second on another error by the UWS shortstop and then Casciola put CLU ahead at 11-3 after notching an RBI single of his own. Cohan capped the inning with a flare into left but the left fielder couldn't come up with the catch and allowed Casciola to score.
Austin Kay, Spencer DuBois and Kyle Sanchez would get RBIs in the later innings as CLU topped 20 runs for the first time this season.
Saito (1-0) earned the win after throwing 4.0 innings while giving up three runs on six hits. CLU's middle relievers Landry Kiyabu, Tyler Nevins and Kevin Victoria combined to throw the next four innings without allowing a single earned run. Cam Adams pitched the ninth and collected two strikeouts including one to end the game.
Cal Lutheran (16-5) will return to Thousand Oaks and be back in action on Thursday, March 27, when it takes on Pacific Lutheran at 3:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 20 UWS 5
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