Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College baseball team after upsetting the Panthers of Chapman University last Saturday opened up SCIAC play with a loss to the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer 10-5.

Whittier now drops to 1-3, 0-1 sciac, while Pomona-Pitzer improves to 2-2, 1-0 SCIAC.

On a day where the new Lillian Slade Aquatic Center, Graham Athletic Welcome Center, and Hall of Fame Conference Room were being opened, the Poets were looking for an opening SCIAC victory but was unable to get past their defensive miscues to move past the Sagehens.

Whittier did jump out early to a 1-0 lead as Andrew Vallejo singled through the right side and was driven in by a Cory Goodchild single but the Poets were held scoreless over the next six innings as the Sagehens Rooke-Ley went 7.0 innings giving up seven hits and one run to go with five strikeouts. 

Ryan Schwenn who pitched well in his previous start for the Purple & Gold against the Panthers of Chapman University again pitched a strong game going 5.0 innings giving up five earned runs to go with four strikeouts. 

Trailing 10-1, Whittier did get back into the game and showed life as they put up a three spot in the eighth after back to back walks, a hit by pitch and back to back singles by Goodchild and Cody Martinez.

Then in the Poets last half of the ninth, they got one more run in after senior Pete Mitchell doubled down the right field line and was driven in by Richard Rios but that's all they would gather as the Sagehens claimed the five run victory.

Whittier now hits the road to travel to Pomona-Pitzer, tomorrow, February 11 to take part in a twin bill themselves with times slated for 11am and 2pm.