SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.—The Point Loma Sea Lions (2-0 overall) opened the season like they couldn't wait for it to start, breaking out for 31 runs in a double-header sweep of the Cal State San Bernardino Yotes (0-2 overall) with 15-2 and 16-2 wins Friday night at Fiscanlini Field.
While Point Loma was held scoreless for the first two innings of the season, the Sea Lions scored in 10 of the final 14 innings of the double-header.
"The guys did a great job winning pitches." Point Loma Head Coach
Justin James said. "Early, we were very excited and swinging out of the zone too often. That's pretty typical early in the year. Their starter did a great job the first time through the lineup as well."
Baxter Halligan tossed a gem that started out as a close ball game, before Point Loma's offense broke out for five runs after the third to hold a 5-0 lead after the fifth inning.
The Sea Lions poured it on in the final innings behind the long ball with
Jake Entrekin,
Michael Pineiro,
Jack Malone and
Otto Kemp all homered in a 7-run ninth inning.
CSUSB put a couple runs across home with a 2-run homer in the bottom of the inning, but
Hunter Otjen delivered a 3-inning save to seal the 15-2 win.
Point Loma's offense didn't wait nearly as long to break out the bats in game two, as Entrekin's RBI single opened the scoring in front of a
Jakob Christian RBI double.
Christian quickly provided the big punch in the second inning, belting a grand-slam in just his second collegiate game, tallying five RBI in just two innings of the ballgame.
The Yotes answered back with a single before a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning, but that would be all they could muster against Point Loma starter
Dylan Miller.
Miller settled in, striking out six over six total innings of work and holding the Yotes to just two more hits.
Point Loma added a run in the fourth and
Izayah Alvarez' solo homer in the fifth sparked a three-run inning.
The Sea Lions piled on in the 7
th, sending 11 hitters to the plate and tacking on five runs-this time without the long ball-to wrap up the 16-2 win and a 2-0 start.
Scott Anderson led the way offensively, among many stellar days, with 7 hits in 10 at-bats.
Otto Kemp was 5-10 on the day.
PLNU's starters, Halligan and Miller, combined for 12 innings and surrendered just two earned runs.
"They're strike throwers and ultra-competitive guys." James said. "We believe the offense is always enhanced by our pitchers doing their jobs."
The Sea Lions bashed seven home runs on the day and the 14 run difference in game two is the largest margin of victory in history of the series against San Bernardino.
Point Loma extends its win streak against the Yotes to five games dating back to 2015.
But the series, and the season, shift to San Diego as Point Loma will host their home opener against the same San Bernardino Yotes beginning at 11:00am at Carroll B. Land Stadium. The first game is scheduled for 9-innings and game two will be 7-innings (scheduled for a 2:00pm start).
