Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Box Score 1
Box Score 2
After a 17-8 game one loss that could generously be described as “ugly,” Cougar baseball found itself down 5-0 early in game two against Chapman on Saturday and in danger of having its senior day spoiled.
But the Cougars scratched and clawed their way back, tying the game in the eighth and winning it 7-6 in the eleventh inning to earn the split.
CSUSM is now 27-17 on the year. Chapman, one of the top programs in NCAA Division III, is 24-10.
In game one, Chapman jumped ahead big early, and despite resistance from CSUSM went on to win easily thanks to a devastating 7-run ninth inning after CSUSM had closed the lead to 10-8. The Cougars couldn't find any pitching, using 9 different pitchers to get through the 9 inning game. The team did generate some offense, led by Ryle Parks' 3-for-5 with a home run and 3 RBI. Kevin Silvett also went yard, but it wasn't enough in the end.
Following that contest, Cougar baseball celebrated senior day, honoring the accomplishments of the team's seniors. Parks, Silvett, Johnny Omahen, Johnny Holtman, Mitch Ferguson, Kyle Smart, Brett Miller, and Matt Kretchmer were all honored alongside family members and supporters in front of the largest home crowd since opening day.
When game two began, however, the good feelings were quickly wiped away by Chapman, who chipped away at Holtman for 2 in the first, 1 in the second, and 2 more in the third to go up 5-0. To Holtman's credit, with the bullpen worn down he persevered through the tough start to throw six innings and hold Chapman to just those 5 runs.
The Cougars started their comeback in the third, with a Kyle Secciani RBI single and Trent Jemmett RBI double cutting it to 5-2.
CSUSM would add two more in the sixth before even recording a hit in the inning, with Omahen drawing a walk and Jeremy Baum getting hit by a pitch then coming around on a failed pickoff attempt and wild pitch.
Still down 5-4 with Holtman exiting, the Cougars needed a reliever to get the job done. After Chapman started the inning with a walk, balk, wild pitch, and RBI double, Andrew Larsen – the only member of the bullpen not used in game one – was called on to put out the fire. He did just that, inducing two ground-outs, then another ground ball in the hole that was fielded by Omahen at shortstop, who bobbled it but very alertly threw behind the runner at third, catching him taking too big of a turn. The resulting run-down ended the inning with CSUSM down just 2 runs.
That gap would be closed in the eighth, as Omahen reached on an error, stole second and went to third when the ball got away at second, and following a Parks walk scored on a groundout by Anthony Renteria. Now down 6-5 with two outs, catcher Marco Arellano delivered the game's biggest hit, a bleeder into right-center on the pitch after fouling a ball off onto his foot, scoring pinch runner Cory McCloskey.
Larsen continued to do work on the mound, stranding two in the eighth, two more in scoring position in the ninth, and striking out two batters in a 1-2-3 tenth. In total, Larsen threw 4 huge shutout innings, allowing just 2 hits and working around 2 catcher's interference calls.
Larsen's effort made the game's grand finish possible. After Smart worked a huge scoreless eleventh – tight-rope walking around a two-out walk and error – the Cougars came up with a chance to end the marathon day. Renteria got things going with a clean single to right, and with Arellano attempting to bunt him over, Chapman's mighty pitching staff got wild for the first time all day, walking Arellano instead. That set up Secciani with an opportunity to bunt, and he laid down a perfect one right on the third base line. The third baseman attempted to throw the speedy Secciani out, short-hopping his first baseman, who couldn't block it. The ball rolled away into right fielder, and Renteria rounded third and trotted home with the game winning run.
The game-ending play was similar to one in the top of the eleventh, when Cougar first baseman Greg Vrooman brilliantly handled a wild throw to prevent runners from advancing.
CSUSM enters its final week with two games left, both at home. The Cougars will take on Azusa Pacific on Monday at 3 PM, then San Diego Christian on Tuesday at 2 PM.
