Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CSUSM baseball has now gotten three gems from their starting pitchers in as many games, as both
Matt Kretchmer and
Brett Miller were phenomenal on Saturday as the Cougars split a road-double header with Vanguard.
CSUSM let game one slip away 2-1, but bounced back to take game two 7-2. The Cougars improve to 2-1 this year, while Vanguard is now 2-2.
In game one, Kretchmer was the story for the Cougars. Making his first start in Cougar blue, the 6'6” senior was nothing short of amazing, throwing 7 1/3 innings of one-hit ball. Vanguard plated its only run, unearned, in the third inning, when a ball was thrown away on a stolen base attempt. Kretchmer struck out nine and walked four.
Unfortunately for the Cougars, Vanguard starter Antonio Perez was dealing as well, striking out 10 batters in 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball. Like Kretchmer, Perez's only run came on a throwing error by the catcher, with CSUSM's Trent Jemmett coming home to score in the first inning.
With the starters pitching brilliantly to a stalemate, the contest came down to the bullpens. Reliever Kyle Smart escaped a jam in the 8th, but Vanguard would rally with two outs and nobody on in the ninth, drawing a walk and recording back-to-back singles to plate the winning run and take the contest 2-1. The teams combined for just seven hits, but committed six errors between them.
But the Cougars were able to put the early loss behind them and take game two behind the arm of Brett Miller. After a strong debut last season, Miller was back in top form on Saturday, going the full seven innings and allowing just one earned run on six hits. He walked four and struck out two en route to picking up the win.
The CSUSM lineup did its share of damage as well. Down 1-0 after the first inning, the Cougars exploded for five in the fourth to take control of the game. Jemmett got things going with a one out single, and Austin Coleman drew a walk. With two outs, a costly error opened the floodgates, allowing Jemmett to score. Anthony Renteria then drew a walk, setting up Mike Mecucci to deliver a huge two-run double to center. Marco Arellano followed that with a two-run base hit of his own, putting the Cougars up 5-1.
The Cougars continued to add run, plating one in the fifth on a Coleman base knock that scored Jemmett, and another in the sixth courtesy of a Secciani single that plated Mecucci.
Vanguard threatened in the seventh, scoring a run and loading the bases – but Miller induced a game-ending groundout to secure the win.
CSUSM will be back at home this Tuesday to face local rival Point Loma at 2:00 PM on CSUSM Baseball Field.
