Box Score 1
Box Score 2
Patrick Bariteau gunned down the potential tying run at home and
Michael Vaughn hung on to the ball after a collision at the plate to preserve a 6-5 Fresno Pacific win at Westmont after the Sunbirds dropped the opener of the doubleheader 3-0 on Thursday.
Having not played in 12 days, with the last four games being postponed, the Sunbirds (6-5, 1-1) struggled in game one managing just five hits. The team came back from deficits of 2-0 and 4-3 however in the second game to salvage a split with the Warriors (8-5, 1-1) in the GSAC opener for both teams.
The Sunbirds broke a 5-5 tie in the top of the ninth, getting leadoff singles from
Tyler Pryor and
Wes Dorrell before two quick outs put the team in danger of stranding runners on second and third.
Scott Laird walked and
Michael Rivera was hit by a pitch though to give FPU the lead.
Rivera had come on to pitch in the 8th and stayed in to close out the ninth. He struck out the first batter before giving up a single to Westmont leadoff hitter Brent Fukushima which put the game-winning run at the plate for the Warriors.
Unfazed, Rivera struck out JJ Turbin swinging and got two strikes on the next hitter. He would hit Timothy Leary though on the next pitch, bringing up Warrior cleanup hitter Coby Cress, who had tied the game earlier with a single in the 7th.
Cress singled to left field and the speedy Fukushima was waved around third, but Bariteau came up firing. The throw beat the runner to the plate and Fukushima tried to knock the ball loose but Vaughn would have none of that, winning the collision and hanging on for the final out.
FPU had fallen behind 2-0 in the third inning, but came back behind some good table-setting from
Alec Mehrten and a key hit by
Scott Laird. Westmont regained the lead in the 6th, getting to Sunbird starter
Matt Mazzoni for two more runs.
Pryor got a hit and steal in the top of the 7th however, and Mehrten delivered an RBI hit before a passed ball gave the Sunbirds the lead again.
Mehrten finished the day 4-for-5. Pryor, Dorrell and
Trent Soares had two hits each for the Sunbirds, while Laird had two RBI. Mazzoni gave up four runs in 5 1/3 innings of work and Rivera earned the win with his two scoreless innings.
The Sunbirds didn't have the same kind of production in this first game, but still trailed just 1-0 in the 8th thanks to a strong showing from starter
Jesse Darrah. Darrah struck out five in 7 1/3 innings pitched and would allow a couple baserunners that would score after he came out in the 8th to finish with three earned runs.
The FPU lineup was held scoreless in game one by Westmont ace Daniel Cabuling, who went the distance and scattered five FPU hits. Cabuling had just two strikeouts, but kept the Sunbird hitters off-balance.
The Sunbirds put a runner on third in the first inning, but would have limited opportunities from there, being hurt by two double plays late in the game. Pryor had the only mult-hit game, finishing 2-for-4 in the loss.
The two teams will meet again for a Saturday doubleheader, this time in Fresno. The first game is scheduled for 11 am.
Around the GSAC
Wednesday's Scores
Point Loma Nazarene (H) 3, Biola 0
California Baptist 6, Concordia (H) 4
Azusa Pacific (H) 4, Vanguard 1
Thursday's Scores
The Masters (H) 7, San Diego Christian 4
The Masters (H) 4, San Diego Christian 2
Biola 7, Point Loma Nazarene (H) 2
California Baptist 5, Concordia (H) 0
Vanguard 10, Azusa Pacific (H) 3
Vanguard 1, Azusa Pacific (H) 0
