WHITTIER, Calif. (March 31, 2023)- Whittier took on the number 23 team in the country today in a SCIAC throw down. The Poets battled the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags and held a lead most of the game, but in the end fell 9-5. 

Aaron Cazares once again took the mound for Whittier, and built upon the impressive start of his collegiate career. The freshman went 7 innings, while only giving up 3 runs on 3 hits to keep the CMS bats at bay. 

The Stags were able to take the early lead over the Poets, hitting a 2-out home run in the top of the second. Whittier then answered back in the third, as they were able to score 4. The rally started with Dane Goodman singling and Teige Barrett following it up with a double. With runners on second and third, Lew Rice stepped up and crushed a ball over the right field wall to put the Poets up 3-2. After Maximus Berber smoked a double to give Whittier another runner, Cam Gray was able to bring him home with a RBI single. 

Both teams showed off their pitching the next few innings, until the scoring started again in the eighth. The Stags tied the game up in the top of the inning, scoring 2 runs on a single. However, Whittier was not ready to give this game up and retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Berber led the inning off and lasered another ball deep, that carried way over the left-center wall. Whittier had a 5-4 lead headed to the ninth. 

With 2 outs in the ninth and bases loaded, CMS was able to take control of this game. Whittier was 1 strike away, but with a full count the Stags batter hit a bases clearing double off the wall. With the score now 7-5 CMS, they added onto their total when the next batter hit a shot over the left field fence. 

Down 9-5, the Poets were not able to recover in the bottom half of the inning and would lose this game. Whittier once again swung the bat well, putting up 5 runs on 7 hits. Goodman, Rice, Barrett, Gray, and James Stirton all contributed a hit; while Berber led the team with 2. Berber would end this game with a double, home run, and a RBI. Rice hit his fourth big fly of the year and had 3 runs batted in. 

Whittier will look to get revenge on the Stags tomorrow, as they take them on in a doubleheader. These games will be played at Pomona-Pitzer with the first one beginning at 11:00. 

Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

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