Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
FULLERTON, Calif. – The Whittier College Baseball team gave the Royals of Hope International all they could handle under the lights Monday night, but couldn't hold onto a late lead as they would fall 9-2.
Whittier drops to 2-3, while Hope Intl. improves to 10-4, 3-1 GSAC.
The Purple & Gold put together 6.0 Innings strong as they would find themselves with a 2-1 lead over the two-time NAIA National Championship Participants. During this stretch Head Coach Mike Rizzo used six pitchers, who combined to give up just one run on one hit.
After falling behind 1-0 after two innings Whittier came back to put up a run in the 3rd and 4th to go on top. The first run coming off the bat of Justin Ryan (Riverside, Calif.) who drove a two-out base hit to center that plated Jarryd Samsing (Buckeye, AZ) who reached on a double to left. The go-ahead run coming the very next inning this time with WC capitalizing with the bases loaded. Jacob Bauer (Pleasanton, Calif.) started the inning off with a single to left and moved up to second after Mike Hernandez (Stockton, Calif.) was hit by a pitch. Alex Jelloian (Chatsworth, Calif.) was then hit by a pitch that loaded the bases and River Danner (Seal Beach, Calif.) then stepped in with a groundout to first that was able to score another.
This lead would hold until the 7th when Jacob DeLongchamp (Beaumont, Calif.) was tagged for a run on two hits along with a walk. Devin Duran came in relief and was able to limit the damage but after that it was all Hope putting up a seven spot in the 8th that put the game out of reach.
Will Reader (San Francisco, Calif.) was charged with the loss going 0.1 Innings giving up three runs on two hits.
Samsing finished the evening going 1-for-4 with a run scored. Bauer was 1-for-2 scoring once and Jelloian was 2-for-3.
Whittier opens up Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play this weekend when they take on the University of Redlands for a three game series. The Poets will host the Bulldogs on Friday, February 21 beginning at 2:30pm and will then travel out to Redlands the very next day for a doubleheader.
