BOX GAME ONE |
BOX GAME TWO
SAN DIEGO – NAIA No. 8-ranked Point Loma Nazarene split a twinbill with visiting Arizona Christian Saturday afternoon at Carroll B. Land Stadium. The Sea Lions (4-2) claimed the opener 4-2 but lost game two 6-1.
The Eagles (7-7) scored first in the opener when Justin Klett doubled to start the second inning and scored on a grounder by Max Ouellette.
The Green and Gold quickly answered by evening the score in the home half of the second. Rashad Taylor walked to begin the frame, stole second and advanced to third on an infield hit from DH Scott Stidham. An out later it was Jack Diamond hitting an RBI grounder that platedTaylor.
The PLNU defense made a few stellar plays to preserve the 1-1 tie: left fielder Kendall Konopka recovered from a collision with the fence to throw out Madrigal, who was trying to stretch a double, at third; and both he and Diamond in right made terrific diving catches.
Taylor walked once again to start the sixth and moved to third on a single through the right side by Stidham. Another walk, this time by Konopka, loaded the sacks for Diamond. The sophomore coaxed another free pass to score Taylor and give PLNU a 2-1 advantage and chasing Eagle starter Sydney Jones from the hill. ACU reliever Justin Johnson did the job and then some, retiring the side without allowing another PLNU to cross the plate.
The Eagles showed some patience in the next half inning as they evened the game without the benefit of a hit. Sea Lion starter Chris Gonzales helped ACU out, though, overthrowing a sure out at second base. That runner, Klett, eventually scored the tying run.
Point Loma pushed two runs across in the bottom of the eighth. With one out Konopka laid down a perfect bunt down the third base line. Diamond followed with a single through the left side. Johnson hit Sea Lion shortstop Clinton Harwick with a pitch to load the bases. The next batter, Tyler Kuehl, lined a hit off the glove of diving second baseman David Madrigal to plate Konopka. A wild pitch scored Diamond for the fourth Sea Lion run.
Kenny Houser (1-0), who was called in from the Point Loma pen in the eighth, earned the win after delivering two shutout innings of relief. Gonzales went seven innings, allowing one earned run on three hits but was not involved in the decision.
Johnson fell to 0-2 after yielding two runs in three frames on the mound. James went five innings in the start for the Eagles.
Eagle third baseman Travis Molina greeted PLNU's game two starter Jack Archie with a two-run home run in the opening frame of the nightcap.
The Sea Lions halved the gap in the second when third baseman Shain Stoner tripled down the right field line and came home on a sac fly by Stidham.
Arizona Christian took that run back – and more - in the third. Trevor Gatewood singled to being the rally and came home on a Jake Storrer double. Klett then ripped a shot through the right side to plate Storrer. A walk to Nick Covyeau loaded the bases.
PLNU coach Joe Schaefer sent for Maurice Wilhelm who put out the fire by inducing a fly ball for the third out.
The Eagles added another run in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Madrigal added an insurance run by blasting a solo homer to left in the sixth.
Jordan Bryson (1-2) went the distance to Arizona Christian, tossing seven solid frames in which he scattered just five Sea Lion hits while fanning four.
PLNU starter Jack Archie (1-1) was hung with the loss after allowing four runs in a 2.2 inning stint. Wilhelm went 3.1 innings with two runs yielded and Tyler Nordgren threw a shutout seventh.
The Sea Lions will next play host to CSU San Marcos on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 2:00 pm.
