THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Wrapping up a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) series on Sunday, due to rain on Saturday, the Cal Lutheran baseball team defeated Pomona-Pitzer 10-0 in a seven inning mercy rule in game one before falling 3-1 in the nightcap.
In the first game of the day, the Kingsmen got on the board in the bottom of the third inning after Gabe Gunter came up with the bases loaded and drove a two-RBI single to centerfield. Later in the frame, Ramsey Abushahla scored on a wild pitch and CLU took an early 3-0 lead.
The Violet and Gold added another in the fourth when Davey Casciola stroked a double to left center to drive in Max Price,who singled earlier in the inning, and extended the lead to 6-0 with two more runs in the fifth. An RBI triple from Weston Clark brought home Jimmy Jauregui, who singled in the inning, and W. Clark came around to score after Trey Saito intentionally got into a rundown.
The Kingsmen added to the onslaught in sixth inning with three more runs, highlighted by a two-run homerun by Gunter to extend their lead to 9-0, and they ended the game via mercy rule in the seventh when Price singled to score Justin Caña to make it 10-0.
Evan Peterson (3-1) earned the win after tossing a complete game shutout while allowing just four hits and striking out two.
Price led the way at the plate going 3-for-4 with two runs scored while Gunter, Chad Clark and Casciola each went 2-for-4. Gunter drove in four runs while Casciola hit two doubles and eight of the nine players scored a run and tallied a hit.
In the second game of the afternoon, the Sagehens jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the fourth inning, but the Kingsmen were able to cut the deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the sixth. Gunter hit a deep fly ball to left to bring home Casciola, who reached on a hit by pitch and promptly stole second and third.
Pomona-Pitzer responded with another run in the seventh to take a 3-1 lead and the Sagehen bullpen shut the door in the eighth and ninth to steal the final game of the series.
C. Clark led the Kingsmen at the plate with two hits while W. Clark and Eddie Villegas added the only other hits for CLU.
Marshall Pautsch (4-2) was tagged with the loss despite going six strong scattering eight hits while allowing just two earned runs and striking out two. Mitchell Shields, Nate Wehner and Landry Kiyabu combined for three innings of scoreless relief for the Violet and Gold.
Cal Lutheran (20-9, 14-4 SCIAC) will host La Verne for a single game this Friday, Apr. 15 inside Ullman Stadium at 3:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 10, PP 0 (7)
Box Score: PP 3, CLU 1
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