THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -For the third time in as many days the Cal Lutheran baseball team stepped onto the diamond while Drew (NJ) played in its season opener today at George "Sparky" Anderson Field inside of Ullman Stadium. In the non-conference meeting the Kingsmen downed the Rangers, 15-7 to finish out the week 5-2.
The score changed hands five times in a game that teeter tottered throughout the first five innings, with someone scoring in each frame, before CLU opened things up with a six-run seventh inning. The Kingsmen would tack on two insurance runs in the eighth. Drew plated one more in the ninth.
Overall, Cal Lutheran and Drew collected 15 and 13 hits apiece, respectively, with five combined errors. Six of the 15 CLU hits went for doubles with both Atherton Kniseley and Chris Whitmer recording two-RBI doubles in the seventh. Jake Petersen also had a run-scoring double in the inning.
Everyone in the starting lineup reached base and either scored or drove in a run. Kniseley finished the day 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored while Petersen, Whitmer, Gabe Gunter and Kyle Sanchez tallied two hits apiece. Petersen drove in three.
On the mound, Connor Sipes (1-0) earned the first victory of his collegiate career after throwing 3.2 innings in which he struck out one. Mitchell Shields got the start and earned a no decision after 3.1 innings of work. Both Cameron Adams and Brady Mickelson got an inning of work in the win as well.
Nico Filice got the first start of his CLU career at second base where he had two assists and a putout and was part of an inning ending 4-6-3 double-play in the third. Collin Crowl had nine putouts and an assist at first base and Whitmer recorded five behind the plate.
Each team collected two hits in the first frame, but it was the home squad to produce any runs, taking an early 2-0 lead. Nicho DellaValle led off for the second consecutive game, doubling and scoring when Petersenreached on a fielder's choice. Petersen came across the plate later in the inning on a Sanchezhit. CLU pushed its lead to 3-0 in the second when Kniseley scored after leading off with a single.
In the bottom of the fourth, Kniseley connected for his first of two doubles and after Whitmer drew a walk Craig Jacobson layed down a perfect bunt for a single to load the bases. Gunter lifted a sacrifice fly and Petersen singled, each driving in a run.
The CLU half of the seventh saw 11 men step into the box with five collecting hits. Sanchez swiped a bag for the only stolen base of the afternoon for the Kingsmen.
The first run of the spring for Drew came when Anthony Feltre drove in Steve Kowalski whose infield single started the top of the third. The Rangers scored three runs in the fourth, adding two more in the fifth. Feltre was 3-for-5 in his season opener and Kowalski, Al Krause and Bobby Miskura had two hits apiece on the day.
Drew flashed the leather numerous times today as well, including diving catches in centerfield and at both second and first base, all ending CLU innings.
Cal Lutheran (9-3) will play another non-conference home game on Thursday, March 13 when the Kingsmen host Ithaca (NY) for a single game slated to begin at 3:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 15, DU 7
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