Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
PASADENA, Calif. – The Whittier College Baseball team bounced back following an opening loss to Caltech to begin the series by sweeping the doubleheader on the road Saturday 8-6 and 4-0.
The Purple & Gold have now won four of their last five and improve to 18-16, 8-10 SCIAC. They currently sit in a tie for 5th in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings.
Game 1 (W, 8-6; 10-Innings)
Caltech got off to strong start in game one and were one out away from securing their first SCIAC series win since the 70's. But Dane Goodman (Ross, Calif.) acted as the spoiler driving in the game-tying and go-ahead runs with a two-run shot in the top half of the 9th. The Beavers managed to tie things up in the bottom half of the frame but couldn't stop the Poet offense late as Nick Krska (Happy Valley, OR) would single to center that plated the eventual winning runs.
Whittier got on the scoreboard in their opening at-bats with Mason Blansett (Lodi, Calif.) doubling down the right field line that scored Brandon Mulrooney (Placentia, Calif.). Caltech though responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame before putting up a four spot in the 4th that moved the score to 5-1.
In the 6th, the Poets found their offense driving in three on five hits to cut the deficit to one. Jacob Bauer (Pleasanton, Calif.) started things off with a double to right center and was followed by singles from Alexander Jelloian (Chatsworth, Calif.), River Danner (Seal Beach, Calif.), and Daniel Tuerffs (Yorba Linda, Calif.). Ending the big inning with two outs was Jarryd Samsing (Buckeye, AZ) who singled on the infield, which drove in a pair.
Justin Kottinger (Stockton, Calif.) picked up the win coming in relief of Tim Turpen (Chino Hills, Calif.) who lasted 5.0 innings. Kottinger threw the final 5.0 innings giving up just one run on five hits. He improves to 4-1.
Jelloian led the offense finishing 4-for-5. Krska was 3-for-6 scoring once and driving in a couple and Mulrooney was 2-for-6 with two runs scored. Goodman added a 1-for-5 effort with a run and two RBI's and Tuerffs was 2-for-3 coming around twice.
Game 2 (W, 4-0)
Whittier locked in on their defense in game two of the doubleheader led by freshman Austin Correia (San Diego, Calif.) who threw 7.0 innings of shutout baseball en route to picking up his second win on the season. He also added three strikeouts. Dante Mancia (La Mirada, Calif.) threw the final 2.0 innings perfect not surrendering a hit, while totaling three strikeouts. He collected his first save on the season.
The game remained scoreless until the 5th when Blansett drove in Mulrooney with a sacrifice fly to left field. Then in the 9th, Whittier added insurance bringing across three-runs on three hits. Mulrooney started the inning off with a single up the middle and was brought in two batters later by a Krska sacrifice fly to right. Blansett followed with a ground-rule double to left center and Goodman capped off the frame with a single to left.
Goodman and Jelloian each registered two hits apiece. Blansett was 1-for-4 scoring once and driving in two and Mulrooney was 1-for-4 coming around twice.
Whittier returns to the diamond this weekend, Friday and Saturday, April 26-27 when they take on the University of La Verne for a three-game series.
