Ryan Martin '08 went 7-for-15 with three doubles, two RBI and four runs scored, but Whittier College lost two in a three-game series against Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival California Lutheran University on April 13 and 14.  The Poets (14-20, 8-7) lost game one in Thousand Oaks, Calif., by a score of 4-2.  They came back to the friendly confines of Memorial Field for a doubleheader on April 14 and won 6-5 in the first game, but lost 7-4 in the nightcap.

Martin went 2-for-5 with a run scored in the series opener.  Robbie Smith '08 and Ty Crawford '07 each went 2-for-5 with an RBI.  Blake Coddington '09 went 3-for-4 and Kody Seminara '08 went 2-for-4 from the plate.  Thomas Phelps '09 (5-3) started on the mound and gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks in five and two-thirds innings pitched.  He also struck out five batters in the loss.  Matt Schwarz '07 and Scot Kakuk '08 combined for two and one-thirds innings pitched and allowed just one walk.

Ryan Martin '08 The Kingsmen (19-12, 10-5) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings in the first game.  The Poets cut the lead to one with a pair of runs on back-to-back RBI singles from Smith and Crawford in the top of the fifth inning.  That was as close as they would get however, as Cal Lutheran used three straight singles in the sixth to give them the 4-2 lead that would remain the final score.

In the first game of the day-two doubleheader, Martin went 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored.  Matt Morgado '07 was the only other Poet with multiple hits, as he went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.  Bobby Wooldridge '08, Mike Benavente '09 and Crawford each drove in a run.  Blake Luitweiler '08 pitched five innings and allowed five runs, three earned, on seven hits and a walk.  Kevin Chapman '10 (2-2) retired the only batter he faced in the ninth inning to get the win.

Cal Lutheran scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead.  The Poets answered in the bottom of the third with four runs on five hits and an error.  The lead was cut to 4-3 in the top of the fourth thanks to a Poet error.  Benavente hit an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to get back a two-run lead for the Poets.  The Kingsmen fought back once again, this time tying the game at five with a pair of runs in the fifth.  Neither team was able to score again heading into the ninth.  In the bottom of the ninth, Martin hit a lead-off double to put the winning run is scoring position.  Wooldridge was the next batter and walked to put runners on first and second.  Morgado flew out to deep center field and was able to move Martin to third after tagging up.  Wooldridge stole second base, and Cal Lutheran walked the bases loaded.  The next Poet batter struck out, leaving the bases loaded with two outs.  Coddington hit a slow groundball to the Kingsmen shortstop, who bobbled the ball and was unable to get the force out at second, bringing home Martin for the game-winning run.

In the final game of the series, Martin led the Poets at the plate once again, going 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored.  Morgado went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI and Smith drove in a run.  Justin Armijo '10 (4-4) allowed seven runs, five earned, on nine hits and a walk.  he struck out three batters in five and two-thirds innings pitched.

Once again, the Kingsmen were able to get on the scoreboard first, this time with one run in the opening frame.  Smith hit an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning that brought home Martin to tie the score at one.  The Poets were able to take a 2-1 lead in the third inning on a Morgado RBI single.  That would be the only lead of the day for the Poets, as Cal Lutheran put up six runs in the next three innings to take a commanding 7-2 lead.  The Poets entered the ninth inning looking for a last-minute rally, and Martin hit a two-out, two-run double to cut the lead to 7-4.  He would be stranded at second as a strike out ended the game.  He was one of seven poets stranded on the base paths in the game.

The Poets have a three-game series with the University of Redlands beginning on April 20.  They travel to Redlands for game one of the series at 3pm, before heading back home for a doubleheader on April 21.