ORANGE, Calif. — A SCIAC Tournament Championship and 30-win season came to an end as California Lutheran University baseball was eliminated from NCAA Championship regional play by the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens 7-5 in 10 innings on Saturday night. 

It was the 12^th 30-win season for Head Coach Marty Slimak. The Kingsmen also won their fifth SCIAC Tournament Championship and played in their 16^th regional. 

Cal Lutheran, just like they did all year, fought until the very last at-bat. Coming up with clutch performances. The Kingsmen came back from a 5-0 deficit, scoring two runs in the eighth and three in the ninth to push it to extra innings. Showing grit and determination to never back down.

Max Kendall was on the mound and pitched a strong game. He went 5.2 innings with three strikeouts. He sat down the first seven Sagehen batters en route to only giving up five hits, but four earned runs. Pomona-Pitzer took a 5-0 lead after six innings.

Tristan Dupont was the next pitcher up. With runners on first and second with two outs, Dupont got the Kingsmen out the inning, with the help of shortstop Will Watson flying high to snag a line drive. 

Dupont continued to make easy work of the Sagehens striking out the side in the top of the seventh. All three batters struck out swinging. Dupont was back on the mound for the eighth, striking out the third batter, and stranding one runner.

Cal Lutheran cut into the deficit in the eighth. With runners on first and second, Kyle Reuser doubled to left center, giving the Kingsmen life. He recorded two RBI as Nolan Brooks and Joseph Scalzo scored. 

Dupont finished off the Sagehens in the ninth, striking out another batter, as the Kingsmen bats continued to stay hot.

The Kingsmen came all way back, scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth. With runners on first and second, Brendan Durfee singled to get the soring started. A little bit later, with the bases loaded, Brooks hit a hard ball to short. An error by the Sagehens kept the Kingsmen alive as Zach Bullard and Gordon Richardson scored to tie the game.

The Sagehens finally got to Dupont in the 10^th, scoring a run to take the lead back. Dupont exited, going four innings with five strikeouts, giving up three hits and one earned run.

Pomona-Pitzer added a second run and took a two-run game to the bottom of the 10^th. 

The Kingsmen fought until the very, and loaded the bases with zero outs, but were not able to get a run across. The comeback came up just short as the Sagehens took the game and moved onto Sunday. 

Box Score: PP 7, CLU 5 (10 inns.)
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director