Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College baseball team wrapped up their series with Cal Lutheran University Saturday and almost pulled off the doubleheader sweep but wasn't able to hold early leads in both games as they fell 4-3 and 9-4.

Game 1 (L, 4-3)

After three scoreless innings the Kingsmen and Poets finally got onto the scoreboard in the fourth, each adding runs.  Jake Raynaud (Los Gatos, Calif.) homered to left that tied things up for the Purple & Gold.

In the sixth, senior Max Bradshaw (Salt Lake City, Calif.) would add his own two-run blast going opposite field that put WC on top 3-1 but those would be the final runs scored as CLU would come from behind with three runs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth to win 4-3.

Nick Garcia (Anaheim, Calif.) had a strong start going 7.1 innings giving up two earned runs on 11 hits but left with the no decision.  Royce Komesu (Aiea, HI) earned the loss giving up the go ahead run on two hits as he drops to 2-2.

Bradshaw finished 2-4 for the game with a run scored and two runs batted in.  Raynaud was 2-3 with two runs scored and an RBI and Tanner Marcoe (Northridge, Calif.) wrapped up the multi-hits going 2-3.         

Game 2 (L, 9-4)

Whittier got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the first with two runs.  Brandon Mulrooney (Placentia, Calif.) started off the inning with a triple to center and was driven in by a Marcoe single up the middle.

Marcoe then stole second and moved to third on a Max Morohashi (Encino, Calif.) single and would eventually come in on a Raynaud sacrifice fly to right. 

This lead would hold until the top half of the third when CLU would get the two runs back on a Casciola homer to left.  The game remained deadlocked until the sixth when the Kingsmen would take their first lead of the game off the bat of Cana who tripled to center driving in Jauregui.

The very next inning, WC would play small ball for the equalizer.  Bradshaw led off the inning with a double to left center and moved to third following a sacrifice bunt from Dylan DeBrouwer (Manteca, Calif.).  Charlie Mayfield (Placentia, Calif.) reached on a fielder's choice and Andrew Lamar (Alta Loma, Calif.) followed with a sacrifice fly to right that plated Bradshaw. 

In the eighth however CLU would go ahead again with two runs on three hits moving the score to 5-3.  Morohashi kept the game close with a single to right in the bottom half of the frame scoring Mulrooney who reached on a double to right center. 

This pulled Whittier within one but that's as close as they would get as Cal Lutheran would put up a four spot in the ninth that propelled them to the 9-4 victory.

Mulrooney finished the game 3-4 with two runs scored and Morohashi was 2-4 with an RBI.

Matthew Macey (Oceanside, Calif.) was charged with the loss and now drops to 1-4.  He went 6.0 innings giving up just three runs on seven hits and struck out four.            

Whittier begins a three game series with Chapman University this weekend.  They host the Panthers this Friday, April 8 beginning at 3:00pm before taking on CU on the road for a doubleheader the next day with first pitches slated for 11:00am and 2:30pm.