Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
PASADENA, Calif. – The Whittier College baseball team ended their five game losing skid Friday as they combined for 14 runs on 14 hits en route to the lopsided 14-2 victory over Caltech to open their three game series.
Whittier opened up the game with three runs in the top half of the first. Jonathan Whipple reached on an error to start off the frame and was followed by a single by freshman Graham Pimm. Pimm stole second on the ensuing pitch allowing Whipple to steal home for the Poets first run and that opened the floodgates. Stephen Zavala singled to bring in Pimm and later in the inning Cody Martinez plated Zavala after grounding out to first.
The Beavers did strike for one in the bottom of the inning thanks to a double from Derek Kearney that brought around Albie Lavin, but Whittier would extend their lead adding five runs over the next three innings that put the game out of reach.
Caltech did add another run in the bottom of the 6th but that would be the final run scored for them as Whittier would add one in the 7th and four in the 8th that secured the victory for the Purple & Gold.
Pimm led the offense going 3-5 with four runs scored and an RBI. Zavala joined him finishing 2-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in, which included a triple and Martinez finished the day 2-5 with a run scored and three RBI's.
Caltech recorded three hits on the afternoon from Tim Menninger, Kearney, and Thomas Kwok. Nick Garcia got the nod on the mound for the Poets and went a complete game giving up one earned run on three hits, while striking out five in his first victory of the season.
Daniel Chou was handed the loss after going 6.1 innings surrendering eight runs on 12 hits.
Whittier wraps up the series tomorrow, Saturday, February 15 as they host Caltech at 11:00am and 2:30pm.
