Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College baseball team avoided a three game sweep by the University of Redlands by coming from behind to win game two 6-5 thanks to a two run shot by freshman Matthew Macey (Oceanside, Calif.).
The win ends a six game losing skid for the Poets and hands Redlands their first loss on the season.
Game 1 (L, 10-6)
The Poets were held scoreless in the first three innings before putting up two in the fourth that tied things up coming on three singles from Stephen Zavala (Whittier, Calif.), Mayfield, and Ben Cerami (Berkeley, Calif.) and a fielding miscue by the second baseman.
But the Bulldogs responded with an exclamation point after Connor Hancock parked a two-run dinger over the right-field wall in the bottom of the fourth for a 4-2 advantage.
Whittier added another in the 5th following a single by Zavala, which scored Graham Pimm (Clayton, Calif.) who earned a double to left field in the prior at bat but the Maroon and Grey managed to pull away in the bottom half of the inning bringing across three that moved the score to 7-3.
Trailing 10-3 in the 9th the Purple & Gold put together a comeback bringing across three with two outs. Jonathan Whipple (Sandy, UT) singled to left and moved to second on a passed ball. Pimm walked and Bryson Kihara (Kaneohe, HI) reached on an error by the shortstop that plated two. The final run came in from Cody Martinez (Whittier, Calif.) who reached on an error by the left fielder that brought in Armando Valdez (Whittier, Calif.) who came in as pinch runner for Kihara.
Royce Komesu (Kailua, HI) earned the loss going 5.0 innings giving up seven runs on 11 hits to go with five strikeouts. Acosta received the win going 7.1 innings giving up one earned run on nine hits.
Zavala finished the game 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Whipple was 2-5 with a run scored and Charlie Mayfield (Placentia, Calif.) was 2-5 with a run scored.
Game 2 (W, 6-5)
In the nightcap the Bulldogs struck first with a two-spot in the first inning with sacrifice flies from Sean McMillan and Mark Tumlinson.
Whittier however came back putting together a three run second inning to give them a one run lead 3-2. Martinez walked and was followed by a Cerami double. Macey singled in both runners and Max Bradshaw (Salt Lake City, UT) grounded into a double play three batters later that brought in Chris Sekiguchi (Aiea, HI).
The Poets expanded their lead to 4-2 in the next inning when Pimm doubled in Whipple, but the lead was soon short lived as Redlands came back to add two in the 5th and one in the 7th to regain the lead 5-4.
The Bulldogs however could not preserve their one-run lead, as Macey blasted a two-run homerun to put WC up 6-5. Any final efforts for the Maroon and Gray to rally were dissuaded, eventually resulting in Redlands' first loss of the season.
Justin Ushio (Mililani, HI) started the second game for the Poets and lasted 5.0 innings giving up four runs but left the game with the no decision. Thomas Hemington (Sacramento, Calif.) came in relief and earned the win going 3.0 innings giving up one run on two hits, while Macey picked up his first collegiate save shutting down the Bulldogs in the 9th.
Macey finished 2-4 with two runs scored and four runs batted in.
Whittier begins preparing for a three game series with Bates that starts this Friday, February 20 at 2:30pm at Memorial Field.
