Photo: Tony Leon/D3WestPhotography

WHITTIER, Calif. (Apr. 10, 2022) – The Whittier College baseball team played its strongest game of this weekend's SCIAC series with Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in front of its home fans on Friday, putting 10 runs on the board in a game that featured a combined 27 hits from both teams.

Whittier kept pace with the visiting team throughout the first half of Friday's game, at least in terms of hits. The Poets hit their stride in the middle innings, but took a brief lead in the first inning utilizing a more patient approach at the plate. Sophomore Cam Gray (Bloomington, Ind. / Bloomington North) and freshman Maximus Berber (Riverside, Calif. / Ramona) walked in two of the first three at-bats of the inning before senior outfielder Dane Goodman (Ross, Calif. / Redwood) drove them home with a hard-hit ball into left center field. Four different Whittier players registered multiple RBI's during Friday's contest, including Goodman, Berber, sophomore infielder Teige Barrett (San Diego, Calif. / Mira Mesa) and freshman shortstop Nate Sherman (Ventura, Calif. / Buena). Barrett, who scratched Goodman across in the opening frame, cracked a two-run home run into dead center in the fifth inning, scoring Berber in the process. Berber, meanwhile, took his turn in the ensuing inning, doubling into the gap in left center field to score Sherman, along with senior catcher Mike Hernandez (Stockton, Calif. / Edison).

An RBI double from senior right fielder James Stirton (Cerritos, Calif. / Valley Christian) in the seventh inning cut the Sagehens' lead to just three runs, as the Poets were able to, for a moment, move within striking distance in a game where they had no issue with putting the ball in play. Barrett would go on to be the only Poet to record a hit in all three games this weekend, going 2-for-2 in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader to add to his big weekend. Junior first baseman Kellen Ward (Montgomery, Ala. / Macon East Academy) served as the designated hitter in that game, and responded by driving in three runs on two hits, two of which came on a home run in the sixth inning after Berber homered earlier in the game.

Head Coach Mike Rizzo and the Poets will next meet the University of La Verne for a weekend series in which they will host the Saturday doubleheader on Apr. 16. Friday's game will be the third meeting between the Poets and Leopards this season.

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