Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran baseball team scored five runs off starting pitcher Ryan Schwenn and never looked back as it dealt the Poets their fourth straight loss, 8-3, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Field.
Whittier (16-21, 8-18 SCIAC) had an answer to Cal Lutheran's run in the top of the second with a solo homerun from Darby Weppner in the home half of the frame to even the score at 1-1.
However, the Kingsmen (24-14, 18-8 SCIAC) tacked on two runs in each the third, fifth and sixth innings to open a 7-1 lead. A double by Weppner in the bottom of the seventh provide a little spark for the offense as he scored one batter later on an RBI-single from Austin Straus.
In the Poets' ensuing at bat, Andrew Vallejo led off the eighth with a double down the left field line and scored two batters later on an RBI-single from Alex Gast. That proved all the scoring for the purple and gold.
Whittier collected eight hits as team with five coming from the duo of Weppner and Vallejo. Weppner finished the game 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI while Vallejo put together a 3-for-5 effort from the dish with one run scored.
Sean-Michael Nada, Gast and Straus provided the other three hits.
Schwenn tossed 4.1 innings in suffering the loss. He allowed seven hits and five runs with three strike outs. Mike Rueda pitched 3.2 innings and scattered four hits. He gave up three runs (one earned) with four strike outs. Casey Serna pitched the final inning.
CLU starting hurler, John LaMoure, lasted six innings and allowed two runs on five hits.
With the win, the Kingsmen have swept the season series from the Poets.
Whittier will look to get back on track and end the season on a high note next week as it takes on Redlands and Claremont-M-S on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
