AUSTIN, TX. (Mar. 9, 2024)- In the final game of the 3-game series against the Concordia University (Texas) Tornadoes the Poets had 10 hits, but would lose this game by a final score of 13-7. 

Teige Barrett (San Diego, Calif., Mira Mesa HS) has been on an absolute tear as of recently and started things off for the Poets. In the first inning he hit a monster homer over the left-center field fence off the scoreboard to give Whittier a 1-0 lead. The Poets have been very successful in the beginning of games so far this year, scoring in 7 straight  first innings. 

In the bottom of the second, Concordia got on the board by scoring 2 runs. The Poets responded by adding another 2 of their own in the top of the third. Nathan Sherman (Ventura, Calif., Buena HS) started things off with a single and Lew Rice (Walkerton, Va., IMG Academy) followed it up with a base hit of his own. Then with 2-outs Maximus Berber (Riverside, Calif., Ramona HS) came up clutch and singled up the middle that allowed Rice and Sherman to score. The Tornadoes then woke their bats up and they were able to score 10 unanswered runs in the third and fourth. At the end of the fourth Concordia held a 12-3 lead. 

In the top of the fifth, Luis Guillermo Chavarin Jr. (Fullerton, Calif., Sonora HS, Cerritos College) tried to chip away at the Tornadoes lead and came up with a 2-out, bases loaded single. This hit brought 2 runners in to score and the Poets now only trailed by 7. 

In the eighth and ninth innings, Whittier brought some guys in off the bench and they were able to get a few runs back. Yasu Tokishi (Kahului, Hawaii, Baldwin HS) got a pinch hit line drive into left field and was later brought in to score on a Delvan Gomez (Artesia, Calif., Gahr HS, Cerritos College) single to left-center. In the bottom of the ninth Berber laced a double to center field that brought the final run of the game home for the Poets. The final score of this game would end up being 13-7. 

The big inning once again was the killer for Whittier in this game. There were some highlights through the battle though. Berber finished the game with 3 hits, while Barrett continued to add to his home run total. Riley Schicker (Camarillo, Calif., Santa Clara HS) came in and pitched great for the Poets. The junior pitched 3.2 innings giving up only 3 hits and 1 unearned run. 

Whittier will continue their Texas trip tomorrow, as they play their first night game of the year. They will be taking on Southwestern University starting at 7:00 Central time.