THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - No. 6 Cal Lutheran scored in five of six frames and nearly everyone on the roster got into the game in as the Kingsmen defeated Caltech, 17-4, in a seven-inning Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) meeting at Ullman Stadium this afternoon.
The Violet and Gold tallied 18 total hits with six for extra bases. Seven different players contributed with a pair apiece including Nick Cohan, Collin Crowl, Nicho DellaValle, Griffin Mullen, Kyle Sanchez, Nathaniel Thompson and Sinjin Todd. Of the group, Sanchez and Todd each drove in three runs while crossing the plate once and Cohan and DellaValle each scored twice in the game for the Kingsmen with an RBI apiece as well. Today marked Thompson's college debut.
While Atherton Kniseley recorded just one hit, it was a two-RBI triple to get the Kingsmen ahead by 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth to help shorten the contest. He scurried across the plate on a wild pitch before CLU added another pair by way of a Mullen single to right field. Davey Casciola was responsible for the other triple of the day.
Once on base the Kingsmen stole five bags with Mullen, Todd, Sanchez, Ramsey Abushahla and Chris Whitmer all swiping one.
Starting pitcher Tyler Hebda (4-1) earned the win after throwing 4.0 innings, striking out six and scattering three hits. Connor Sipes came in from the bullpen to throw 2.0 innings and Kevin Victoria struck out the first batter of his collegiate career in the final frame.
After Caltech scored a run in the first on a pair of hits the Kingsmen responded with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning to shift the momentum in their favor and did not look back.
Caltech (1-18, 0-12 SCIAC) recorded nine hits with Oliver Curtiss, Thomas Kwok and Tim Menninger each notching two. CIT also executed a double steal with John Galden and Harrison Jacobs advancing to second and home, respectively. Curtiss was tagged with the loss.
Cal Lutheran (18-5. 10-3) continues SCIAC play on the road tomorrow, Saturday, March 29, when Caltech hosts the Kingsmen for two beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Box Score: CLU 17, CIT 4
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