Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – Senior Julian Barzilli single handily lifted the Poets to a 7-5 victory in game one of a doubleheader against Rutgers-Newark Wednesday hitting a two run shot in the bottom half of the seventh before the Purple & Gold took game two 7-3.
The Poets improve to 14-8, 10-2 SCIAC, which includes a 10-2 mark at home and now wrap up their non-conference schedule with a 4-5 record.
Game 1 (W, 7-5)
Whittier jumped all over Rutgers-Newark starter Totesautt for three runs in the first inning all coming on just one hit. A Corey Jensen single, a Graham Pimm walk, and a Barzilli hit by pitch loaded the bases. Jensen then scored on a wild pitch and was followed by Pimm and Barzilli who both came in due to forceouts at first.
Rutgers-Newark got one back in the next inning and threatened to do more damage but Nick Garcia was able to induce a Gencarelli double play that thwarted the Scarlet Raider threat.
The Scarlet Raiders would pull within one in the third thanks to a solo shot from Olah but Whittier would go back in front by two after a Ben Cerami single plated Stephen Zavala. WC would add to their lead after a Jensen triple brought home Armando Valdez in the fourth but Rutgers-Newark would come back and tie it up in the top half of the seventh when McCluskey scored on an error by the second baseman.
But in the bottom half of the inning and with two outs and a runner on, Barzilli would connect on a 1-2 fastball sending it over the left center field fence for a walk off two run shot that propelled the Poets to the game one victory.
Garcia threw 6.1 innings giving up four runs on six hits but did not earn the win but saw Cerami come in relief throwing 0.2 innings picking up his first win on the season. Jensen finished 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Barzilli finished 2-3 with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
Game 2 (W, 7-3)
Rutgers-Newark got out in front early in the second inning with two runs behind a Gerry Patrizio double and a Ryan Macfarlane single up the middle, but the Poets would respond putting up a six spot in the third. JP Fasone and Mike San Angelo walked and Jensen reached on an error by the pitcher to load the bases. After a Pimm strikeout, Barzill singled through the left side bringing in one. Zavala was then sat down after lining out to the second baseman but the Poets would get back to back singles from Jonathan Whipple and Cerami that brought in a pair before an error by the Scarlet Raider center fielder brought in the final two runs of the frame.
Whittier would put together another rally in the fifth with Cerami scoring on a passed ball to extend the lead to 7-2 but in the sixth Rutgers-Newark would add another with a Troisi single that brought around Macfarlane to pull the Scarlett Raiders within four. But in the seventh Cerami came in and shut out the side picking up his second save on the season.
Curtis Martin picked up the win improving to 5-1 after going 7.0 innings giving up two runs. Barzilli finished 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI, while Whipple was 1-4 with a run scored and two runs batted in.
Whittier returns to action next Friday, March 28 when they host Occidental at 2:30pm. The next day, March 29 they wrap up the three game series on the road with game times set for 11:00am and 2:30pm.
