Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – Despite dropping the 2016 opening series to Whitworth University, the Whittier College Baseball team was able to recognize the No. 1 supporter of Poet Athletics Bob Whitaker who threw out the ceremonial first pitch Saturday morning.

Bob Whitaker, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois sent three of his four children through Whittier College and has always been the Poets most loyal supporter attending as many home events as possible throughout the year along with special events such as the Athletic Banquet and Midnight Madness.  Prior to the game surrounded by his family he threw out the ceremonial first pitch, which was caught by his grandson Cole Whitaker.      

Game 1 (L, 6-2)

Despite putting together eight hits on the afternoon, Whittier found it difficult to bring runs across the plate.  After two scoreless innings, the Pirates found their offense bringing across four runs behind doubles from Matthew Nelson and Joel Condreay.

They added another in the seventh off the bat of Ryan Bird who drove in Nelson and would tack on their sixth run the very next inning after a JT Phelan double, which plated Anthony Bonilla.

Whittier was able to add two runs on the afternoon both coming in the eighth inning.  Brandon Mulrooney (Placentia, Calif.) got things started with a single.  Tanner Marcoe (Northridge, Calif.) followed with a double, which moved Mulrooney to third and after an error by the shortstop allowing Ketchum Marsh (Bradenton, FL) to reach first, Mulrooney would come across for the first run.

With runners on the corners soon after, Matthew Macey (Oceanside, Calif.) would crush a double, which brought in Marcoe but that would be the last run across for the Purple & Gold as Whitworth would hold on for the four run victory.

Nick Garcia (Anaheim, Calif.) was charged with the loss but had a strong outing despite the one inning.  He went 5.2 innings giving up four runs on six hits and struck out six.

Kelly Fitzpatrick earned the victory for the Pirates after going 6.0 innings of shutout baseball and Milyard Arory would grab the save.

Marcoe in the leadoff spot finished 2-5 on the afternoon with a run scored.  Mulrooney also had a multi-hit game going 2-4 and also scored.            

Game 2 (L, 20-4)

The Pirates finished where they left off after game one of the doubleheader putting up 20 runs on 16 hits.  They got a quick run in the top half of the first off the bat of Nelson who doubled in Jeremy Druffel, but that lead would soon be short-lived as Whittier would put up three in the bottom half of the second.

After Charlie Mayfield (Placentia, Calif.) struck out but reached base due to an error by the catcher, Max Bradshaw (Salt Lake City, UT) came up and moved him into scoring position with a single.  Andrew Lamar (Alta Loma, Calif.) then reached on an error by the pitcher following a sacrifice bunt, which plated one and Armando Valdez (Whittier, Calif.) would then step up to drive in one with a single.  Mulrooney then kept the small ball alive with a sacrifice bunt to second that scored Lamar and that would give WC a lead 3-1 early.

In the third, Whitworth got after Alex Baez (Chino Hills, Calif.) adding three runs to regain the lead 4-3 and they didn't look back as they would add 16 runs over the next six innings.

Whittier added one more run in the fourth.  Lamar and Valdez both walked to get the inning started, Mulrooney singled to load the bases and Marcoe drove in the score with a groundout to the shortstop. 

Baez grabbed the loss going 4.0 Innings giving up five runs on five hits, while striking out two.  Tim Bever got the win after he went 3.2 innings giving up just three hits. 

Bradshaw finished the game going 2-3 with a run scored.           

Game 3 (L, 9-7)

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Poets wrapped up their series with a morning contest.  Whittier struck first in the bottom half of the third with Andrew Fierro (Riverside, Calif.) and Jake Raynaud (Los Gatos, Calif.) going yard for the first time in their collegiate careers.

Whitworth got two back the very next inning following a Jordan McGowan double to left center and a Nate Lamberty single through the right side.  In the fifth they added another pair off an error by the second baseman to take the lead. 

WC would however take it back bringing across a couple in the bottom half of the sixth when Bradshaw and Fierro both singled in runs.  But a big seventh inning by the Pirates would put them in front for good as they added four runs on three hits.

Macey doubled in Marcoe in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to two.  Whitworth would then add a big insurance run in the eighth before holding off a late rally by the Purple & Gold in the ninth.

Trailing by three in the ninth, the Poets earned back to back to back walks by Max Morohashi (Encino, Calif.), Raynaud, and Macey that loaded the bases with nobody out.  Mulrooney hit into a fielder's choice that brought in one but the threat would end when Bradshaw would ground into the inning ending 643 double play. 

Macey got the start and went 4.0 Innings giving up just two runs.  Justin Kottinger (Stockton, Calif.) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on one hit in 1.1 Innings.  Connor Sand earned the win for Whitworth following 2.1 Innings of work and Matthew Nelson grabbed the save finishing out the ninth. 

Marcoe finished the game 2-5 with two runs scored.  Fierro was 2-3 with a run scored and two runs batted in and Dylan DeBrouwer (Manteca, Calif.) was 2-4.    

Whittier returns to the diamond next weekend when they open up conference play with a three game series against Redlands.  They travel to Redlands on Friday, February 19 at 2:30pm before hosting a doubleheader with the Bulldogs on Saturday, February 20 with first pitches set for 11:00am and 2:30pm.