LA MIRADA, Calif. – Cal Lutheran baseball saw its 2026 season come to a close on Saturday afternoon, dropping both games of a must-win doubleheader to No. 19 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at Eagles Diamond.
The Kingsmen battled in a 9-7 loss in game one before falling 15-4 in a seven-inning finale. With the sweep, Cal Lu finishes the season at 23-17 overall and 11-13 in SCIAC play.
The Kingsmen entered the day needing two wins and help elsewhere to keep their postseason hopes alive, but those chances faded early as La Verne secured a win over Redlands before CLU's opener had even concluded.
GAME ONE: CLAREMONT-M-S 9, CAL LUTHERAN 7
Despite the circumstances, Cal Lutheran showed resilience in game one, putting together its strongest offensive performance of the series. The Kingsmen erased a 3-0 deficit with a three-run third inning and later took a 6-4 lead behind timely hitting and aggressive baserunning.
Philip Jeong led the charge with a four-hit performance, including two doubles and two RBIs, while
Daniel Orozco and
Eric Gonzalez each recorded multiple hits.
After Cal Lu built its two-run advantage, CMS answered with a two-run fifth and pulled ahead for good on a two-run home run in the sixth. The Kingsmen continued to threaten late, tallying 12 hits and drawing eight walks, but were unable to complete the comeback.
GAME TWO: CLAREMONT-M-S 15, CAL LUTHERAN 4 (7 INN.)
Game two saw Cal Lutheran briefly match the Stags early, rallying from a 4-0 deficit to tie the game at 4-4 behind RBI doubles from
Jacob Rosenfeld and contributions from the middle of the lineup.
CMS, however, regained control with a two-run fourth and broke the game open with a four-run fifth before adding five more in the seventh to secure the run-rule victory.
With postseason hopes already dashed, the Kingsmen turned to their full roster in the finale, allowing both seniors and underclassmen to see action in the season's final innings. CMS, meanwhile, completed the sweep to clinch the outright SCIAC title—its first in 36 years.
One bright spot in the finale came from
Troy Anderson, who recorded his 100th career hit, reaching a milestone that highlighted a strong career in a Kingsmen uniform.
SEASON RECAP
Saturday's games marked the final appearances for Cal Lutheran's senior class of Anderson, Orozco,
Ethan Dungo,
Luis Luhrs,
Lucas Danielewicz, and
Matt Campo. The group played a key role in the team's early-season success, which saw the Kingsmen sit atop the conference standings before narrowly missing out on a postseason berth.
Though the season ended short of expectations, Cal Lutheran is set to return a core of experienced contributors and emerging underclassmen who will look to build on the program's foundation heading into next year.
