Box Score A ninth inning leadoff home run by
Austin Coleman broke an 11-11 tie, as CSUSM baseball held on for a wild 12-11 road win over Biola.
Both teams are now 14-9 on the season.
It was a rare slugfest for the Cougars this year, who drew a remarkable 13 walks, tallied 8 hits, and won despite leaving 14 runners on base.
The teams battled back and forth throughout the day, with CSUSM holding a 9-5 lead in the sixth, only to see Biola score five of their own in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-9 lead. The Cougars would re-take the lead in the seventh, then Biola tied it again with two in the eighth before Coleman put CSUSM ahead once and for all in the ninth.
Second baseman Trent Jemmett had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Leadoff man Kyle Secciani scored 3 runs as well.
Despite the crazy box score, Cougar starting pitcher Johnny Holtman turned in a nice effort, allowing just two earned runs in five innings of work. Reliever Brett Miller picked up the win, and Kyle Smart closed out the game with two innings of relief, including an easy ninth.
Perhaps the best thing the Cougar pitching staff did is throw strikes – while Biola allowed 16 combined walks and hit-by-pitches, CSUSM gave up just 3.
CSUSM will be back at home to play a double-header against Sioux Falls on Sunday.
