WHITTIER, CA. (MAR. 15, 2026)- Whittier College baseball closed out its four-game weekend with a dramatic 9–8 extra-inning win over Illinois Tech on Sunday afternoon at Mendez Stadium, finishing the weekend with a 2–2 record.
The Poets came out swinging in the first inning. Eric Logsdon (Apple Valley, Calif., Victor Valley College) opened the game with a single, Matthew Mecate (Highland, Calif., CSU Dominguez Hills) was hit by a pitch, and Alex Jasso (South Gate, Calif., MACES) followed with an RBI single to put Whittier on the board. Joe Plaskett (Fremont, Calif., Washington) added another RBI single, and Aidan Cardoza (Riverside, Calif., San Bernardino Valley College) lifted a sacrifice fly to give the Poets an early 3–0 lead.
Illinois Tech chipped away with a run in the third and tied the game in the fourth, then used a three-run fifth to move in front 6–3. Whittier answered in the bottom half when Rayden Miguel (Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Moanalua) launched a solo home run to left field, his first career collegiate homer, trimming the deficit to two.
The Poets delivered their biggest response in the seventh. Mecate doubled to open the inning, Jasso followed with an RBI double, and Cardoza brought home another with a single through the left side. After Parker Eastwood-Lilles (Vancouver BC, Canada, St. George's Academy) moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, Jack Lee (Bellevue, Wash., Edmonds College) came through with a pinch-hit two-run single down the left-field line to put Whittier back in front, 8–6.
Illinois Tech refused to go away, tying the game in the ninth with a two-run single, but the Poets had one more answer. In the bottom of the 10th, Miguel singled and advanced to second on an error, Coehn Nakasone (Aiea, Hawaii, Mid-Pacific Institute) followed with a single, and after Mecate was intentionally walked to load the bases, Jasso was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run and send Whittier off with a walk-off victory.
Jasso led the way offensively, finishing with two hits and three RBI, while Miguel had two hits, including the solo homer, and scored twice. Cardoza drove in two, and Lee's two-run single in the seventh helped swing the game back in Whittier's favor. Logsdon added 2 hits and a run, and Mecate was on base all day, finishing with a hit, 3 walks, and an HBP. The Poets totaled 13 hits and drew 10 free passes in the win.
On the mound, Brady Hess (Austin, Texas, St. Michael's Catholic Academy) delivered 2.2 scoreless innings in relief to stabilize the middle frames. In extra innings, Aaron Cazares (Eastvale, Calif., Norco), who pitched about 40 pitches yesterday and on a scheduled day off, came in and picked up the win after working out of trouble in the 10th.
The Poets wrapped up the weekend at 2–2 and will look to carry that momentum forward into the next stretch of the season. The second half of the season will begin on Wednesday, with another game against Illinois Tech. This game will begin at 3:00.
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