Box Score Chad Blauer tossed a complete game at Carroll B. Land Stadium on Friday, leading the Sea Lions to a 2-0 win over Savannah Art & Design. The senior hurler fanned 13 batters and scattered just three hits in PLNU's first victory of the 2010 campaign.


“Unbelievable,” said PLNU coach Joe Schaefer. “I thought he [Blauer] would be good but that was the best we have ever seen him. We knew he was in shape but no way did I think he could go nine in his first start. He was awesome.”


Blauer fanned five of the first six batters he faced and did not surrender a hit until the fourth inning. After that hit, a Sea Lion error put runners on the corners with two outs. Mike Hines, the runner at first, then took off for second on an attempted steal, but stopped on the throw and headed back to first in a ruse to set up for the delayed steal of home by Patrick Braswell. PLNU shortstop Tyler Kuehl sniffed out the ploy, though, and gunned out Braswell at home. That was really the only threat of the day mounted against Blauer.


The Sea Lions scored both of their runs in the home half of the fourth. Wes Kartch led off the frame with a double down the right field line. Kuehl followed with a double of his own down the opposite line with Kartch advancing to third. A sac fly from Kevin Newburg plated Kartch with the first run of the game. Jack Diamond coaxed a one out walk against Bee starter Brice Schlosser but was later cut down on a stolen base attempt. Kuehl scored on that play, however, to give PLNU a 2-0 lead.


Those two runs were one more than Blauer needed Friday who set down 15 of the next 17 batters to complete the shut out. The right hander threw 110 total pitches, 77 for strikes.


“I spotted my fastball well today,” Blauer said. “Bats are a little slow at this time of the year. I was able to jam them a bit and they weren't able to catch up.”


Blauer was injured at the NAIA World Series last year but worked hard in the offseason. His efforts have paid off. Blauer looks noticeably leaner and was throwing the ball as hard, if not harder, than he ever has in a Sea Lion uniform.


“I spent a lot of time rehabbing,” he said. “I work out three or four times a week with [PLNU trainer] Brandon [Sawyer] and do my running. I didn't think I could go nine innings today, though, because I usually pitch to strikeouts. But my arm felt great so I kept going.”


Schlosser threw 7.2 innings for SCAD. The lefty was stellar, allowing just one earned run on six hits but fell to 0-1 on the year, as did the Bees.


The Sea Lions earned their first win of the year. PLNU tied CSU San Marcos 1-1 in Wednesday's 12-inning season opener. Point Loma is ranked second in the NAIA but has managed just 11 hits in the two games.


“I think the win probably takes a little bit of pressure off the team,” said Schaefer. “Now that we have that first one, hopefully we can loosen up and play better.”


PLNU and SCAD complete their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 11:00 am.