WHITTIER, Calif. - The Whittier College baseball team tied the score at 3-3 at the end of the fourth inning but No. 16 California Lutheran exploded for 12 runs over the next three innings and it went on for the 15-3 win over the Poets on Friday afternoon at Memorial Field.

The Poets (12-26, 6-13 SCIAC) totaled nine hits on the afternoon as six came off the bats of the seniors who played in their final regular season home game of their careers. Anthony Cappelletti went 2-for-3 with a solo homerun while John Fugazi went 2-for-4 with a double.

Michael Benavente and Luke Moedritzer each had one hits in their final home game.

The Poets scored first in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Fugazi but the Kingsmen (29-9, 15-4 SCIAC) answered with a three-run second.

Whittier cut the lead to 3-2 at the end of the third inning with Cappelletti's solo homerun and tied the score one inning later as Taylor Fallon grounded out to first base to score Fugazi who led off the inning with a double.

Cal Lutheran took control of the game from there as they scored two runs in the fifth, three runs in the sixth and seven runs in the seventh inning. Whittier managed only three hits the rest of the game with two of those coming in the ninth inning.

Richard Michelin led the Kingsmen as he drove in nine runs which includes four in the seventh inning alone. He went 4-for-5 with three homeruns (one a grand slam) and four runs scored.

The Poets conclude their season tomorrow with a doubleheader at Cal Lutheran. The first pitch of Game 1 is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.