CHICO, Calif. - The Point Loma baseball team continued their early season trend of getting strong starting pitching but it did not help them on Saturday as the Sea Lions dropped both games of the doubleheader to Chico State, 3-2 and 3-1.
The Wildcats (6-0) have opened the season with two three-game sweeps at home. PLNU (0-3) is still in search of its first win of the season.
Game 1The bunt was the Achilles Heel for the Sea Lions in the opener as Chico State tied the game in the ninth and won the game in the 10th with the help of the bunt.
Point Loma fought to take the lead after giving up a run in the bottom of the first. PLNU tied the game in the third inning on
Mike Gordner's RBI-double to plate
Harrison Ramey.
AJ Derr gave the Sea Lions their first lead of the game when he singled to the opposite field to cap off a two-out rally by Point Loma which started with a single by
Tanner Handa and a double from Ramey.
PLNU entered the ninth up2-1 but were unable to hold the lead. Chico got leadoff single and sacrificed him to second before Cody Snider singled him to third. The Wildcats' Jerrett Maas then brought the tying run in on a bunt.
In the 10th, the Wildcats' rally began with a hit by pitch to Cameron Santos but again they sacrificed him to third with two outs and Cody Bistline scored him on a bunt single.
This was just the second blown save in two seasons for
Coleman Huntley III (0-1), who last season led NCAA Division II in saves during the regular season. He took the loss today after being charged with two runs and four hits in 1.2 innings.
PLNU starter
Trevor Abshire threw well but took a no-decision. He went six innings allowing one run and five hits while walking one and striking out four. PLNU also got strong work from its middle relievers where
Garrett Gooding and
Nathan Bennett combined for two scoreless innings with just one hit allowed.
Chico State's starter Steven Baker matched Abshire with one run and five hits allowed in six innings. AJ Epstein (1-0) earned the win with three scoreless innings in relief.
Gordner and
Ryan Garcia led Point Loma with two hits apiece. Cameron Santos was 3-for-4 with two runs scored to pace Chico State.
Game 2Once again Chico State scored in the first inning and then the Sea Lions' starter settled in to give a strong performance, allowing PLNU to come back to tie the game and Chico rallied late for the victory. This time it was the Wildcats scoring twice in the seventh inning to close out the series with a 3-1 win.
Devin Carter scored the Sea Lions' first and only run of the game in the seventh when he walked to lead off the inning, was sacrificed to second and scored on a throwing error as he was stealing third. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk. He was the only Sea Lion to safely reach base twice.
The Chico State rallied started just like every other one this weekend, with the leadoff batter reaching and being sacrificed to second. This time however, the leadoff batter reached on wild pitch strike out by
Patrick McMullen. Things only got crazier from there as Point Loma had a dropped foul ball and two other throwing errors in the inning to result in both runs being unearned.
McMullen (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing two hits and the two unearned runs in the seventh. He struck out two. Kevin Liilicrop started the game for Point Loma and went six innings, giving up eight hits and two walks, but allowing just one run.
Chico State's starter Dalton Erb had a no-decision. He went six innings allowing five hits and no runs. He struck out three and didn't walk a batter. Torgen Soderlund (1-0) earned the win in relief after Chico State came back to take the lead. Hunter Haworth picked up the save going two innings with only one hit allowed.
Chico State had four players with two hits apiece. Leadoff batter Sonny Cortez led the way going 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored.
Next gamesPoint Loma will return home to host Cal State LA for games on Feb. 11-12 starting at 2:00 p.m. Thursday's contest will be the home opener for the Sea Lions.
