THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – California Lutheran junior Cheynne Giles had a game-high four RBIs and sophomore Christian Slattery pitched a two-inning save as the Kingsmen knocked off the Centenary Gents 11-10 Sunday afternoon at Ullman Stadium.
This is the second straight time the Kingsmen (10-9) have defeated the Gents (8-6). The last time the teams played was last year at the NCAA West Regional in Tyler, Texas. CLU won 8-2 and then went on to win the National Championship.
Giles' four RBIs tied a career-high. Slattery pitched the two innings and struck out three batters as he picked up his third save of the year.
The offense was spread out after Giles as seven more Kingsmen had a RBI. Matt Sciumbato and Tanner Wright both had three hits and a RBI. Altogether, the Violet and Gold combined for 11 runs on 16 hits.
Centenary started the game on fire and scored six runs in the first two innings, all off of Derek Galvin. Galvin then settled down and didn't allow a run in the next three innings. In the third, the Gents had one hit, but Galvin got the next batter to hit into a double play. In the 4th, Galvin got all the outs via a groundout. In the 5th, he set the Gents down in order.
Galvin got some help from the CLU offense in the bottom of the 4th. With Centenary up 6-1, the Kingsmen scored seven runs and took an 8-6 lead. The Kingsmen batted around in the inning as Nick Coast, Giles, Alec Iniguez, Sciumbato, Anthony Sidley, Wright and Ryne Yamashiro, each had a RBI.
The Gents were quick to answer. Jeff Rebello came in for Galvin and pitched 1.2 innings of relief. Centenary had men on before Rebello came in and then capitalized as they scored three runs in the top of the 6th and took back the lead at 9-8.
Cal Lutheran bounced right back and scored three in the bottom of the sixth. Giles doubled down the left field line for two of his four RBIs. Daniel Stauffer then came in to pitch-hit and delivered a single to left field.
Rebello had an 11-9 lead as he came back out for the seventh. Rebello got the first two outs and then Justin Fong came in and got the final out. Rebello was in line for the win heading to the eighth.
Centenary started off the top of the eighth with back-to-back doubles and cut the lead to 11-10. CLU then brought in Slattery. He got three straight outs and Centenary stranded a man at third. In the ninth, Slattery struck out the first two batters and got the third to ground out. Slattery got the save and Rebello got the win as he improved to 3-1 on the year.
Cal Lutheran continues the season at home as the Kingsmen host Rutgers-Newark Monday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. inside Ullman Stadium.
Box Score: CLU 11, CU 10
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director