ANAHEIM, Calif. - The Point Loma baseball team fell 5-2 to California Baptist in front of a crowd over 7,500 fans at the PacWest Bash at Angels Stadium (Apr. 20).
It was a pitchers' duel as the game was tied 2-2 going into the eighth before CBU scored three to finally break through against PLNU's starter
Kellen Sheppard. Sheppard allowed two runs in the second inning before locking in and allowing only a walk over the next five innings.
He retired 10 straight batters going into the eighth inning when CBU got a leadoff hit. Sheppard struck out the next batter and then coach
Joe Schaefer went to
Nathan Bennett out of the pen. After getting a foul out to third base, Bennett just nicked Stephen Lohr on a pitch and then walked the next batter to load the bases and bring Mark Sanchez to the plate. Bennett jammed Sanchez inside but the CBU catcher was able to loop it just over the head of PLNU second baseman
Matt Jervis to bring in two runs.
The Lancers' Tyson Miller (7-2) pitched a complete game allowing three hits and two runs while walking one and striking out five. He retired 17 straight Sea Lions after allowed a pair of runs in the first.
"Miller did an awesome job," said Point Loma head coach
Joe Schaefer. "He struggled early and we were able to put a couple of runs on the board in the first and I thought we were going to have a pretty good day offensively but their guy settled in and got better throughout the night."
Sheppard (6-4) also thrived under the lights. He finished the game with six hits and three runs allowed while walking one and striking out six over 7.1 innings.
"It was a dog fight and Sheppard matched (Miller) pitch for pitch," said Schaefer. "He made a few mistakes early but for the most part he was outstanding on the mound. We aren't in that game in the eighth inning if he doesn't pitch the way he did. He did a great job against a very good offense. We just ran into some trouble in the eighth and unfortunately couldn't get out of the inning."
The Sea Lions got on the board first with two runs in their half of the first.
AJ Derr led off with a walk and
Harrison Ramey followed with a single.
Ryan Garcia then went the opposite way to single in Derr from second base, with Ramey taking third on the throw.
Devin Carter drove in Ramey from third on an error by the left fielder to put PLNU up 2-0. CBU tied it with two in the bottom of the second and the game remained tied until the eighth inning.
Despite the loss coach Schaefer was very happy about the chance his team had to play at Angels Stadium.
"This was a huge opportunity, not just for the PacWest Conference and our players but for the school and the program as well" said Schaefer. "It is great exposure and it was a great crowd here today.
"All in all we competed extremely well, but we have adjustments to make offensively because they have a very good pitching staff we are going to have to compete against all weekend," added Schaefer.
The series will now shift to Riverside where PLNU and CBU will play a single-game on Friday, Apr. 22 at 6:00 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 23 at Noon.
