Ryan Martin '08 recorded a hit in all three games to extend his
hitting streak to sixteen games, but Whittier College lost two of
three to the University of La Verne in the final series of the
season. Game one was a 5-2 loss for the Poets (17-23, 11-10)
at Memorial Baseball Field on April 27. Whittier lost game
two 13-11, but won game three 3-2 in eleven innings, in the April
28 doubleheader at La Verne.
The last time Martin did not hit safely in a game was March 17 in
the Poets 9-3 win over Principia College in the California
Invitational.
Going into the weekend, La Verne (21-18, 15-6) needed a series
sweep over the Poets to take the SCIAC Championship. The game
three loss handed the title to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, who swept
Caltech in their regular season finale.
Ryan Martin '08 Only four Poets had hits in game one. Ty
Crawford '07 hit a solo home run, his fifth of the year.
Martin drove in the other Poet run with an RBI single.
Nick Taiariol '08 singled and scored, and Matt Morgado '07 singled
as well. Thomas Phelps '09 (6-4) pitched a complete game,
allowing five runs on eight hits and one walk. He also struck
out two batters in the loss.
Blake Coddington '09 led the Poets in game two, going 2-for-3 with
a double, two RBI, two walks and three runs scored. Morgado
went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run (4), a walk and another run
scored. Quinn Keefer '07 hit a pinch-hit, two-run double and
Robbie Smith '08 and Kody Seminara '09 each drove in a run.
Blake Luitweiler '08 (4-4) was credited with the loss after
pitching just two innings and giving up eight runs, six earned, on
ten hits. Justin Armijo '09 came in to pitch six innings of
relief, and allowed five runs, four earned, on eleven hits and
struck out four.
In the Poets' lone victory on the weekend, the eleven inning
series finale, Smith went 4-for-5 with a triple, an RBI and a run
scored. Robert Pachuca '09 and Bobby Wooldridge '08 each
drove in a run. Taiariol went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and
Martin kept the hitting streak alive with a third inning
single. Matt Schwarz '07 started on the mound and pitched a
gem, but didn't factor into the decision. He went seven and
two-thirds innings and gave up two runs, one earned, on seven hits
and no walks. He also struck out four. Scot Kakuk '08
(1-3) was credited with the win after pitching three and a third,
and didn't allow a run on six hits and three walks. He struck
out three batters.
The Poets finished fifth in the SCIAC with an 11-10 conference
record.
