Whittier, Calif. — After forcing the Whittier Poets to surrender yesterday's game early, the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen struggled to carry their offensive momentum into today's doubleheader and fell short 5-2 and 6-3, respectively.
In game one, the Kingsmen notched both of their runs in the top of the second. Cheynne Giles struck out swinging but an error by the catcher allowed him to reach first on a passed ball. Ethan Go followed with a groundout to the pitcher, but successfully advanced Giles into scoring position and a single by Cortez Espinoza moved him to third. With runners on the corners, Tanner Wright doubled to right center, bringing both men home.
Retaking the mound, starter Derek Galvin allowed an RBI-single to Charlie Mayfield in the second half of the inning. His misfortune continued though into the third as Whittier took the 5-2 lead on four runs. Although he regained his command and pitched into the seventh without allowing any more runs on the board, he finished with a final line of five runs on ten hits in 6 1/3 innings of work with one walk and three strikeouts.
Taking over the mound in game two, Troy Frazier struggled with command early and allowed Whittier the opening two runs of the game in the first inning on singles by Matthew Macey and Dmitri Washington. He would finish the day after four innings of work after giving up six runs on 11 hits with one walk and three strikeouts. The loss is his first of the year and moves his record to 4-1.
The Kingsmen answered the Poet's early runs in the top of third however. Wright worked a walk before racing to third on an error by the shortstop. Max Weinstein then brought him home on a sacrifice fly to center and made it a one-run ballgame.
The Poets pushed their lead, however, on a two-RBI double by Daniel Tuerffs in the fourth. Then they pushed it to 6-1 in the fifth on a single by Brandon Mulrooney and a wild pitch by Jeff Rebello.
Looking for a rally, Ryne Yamashiro sparked the Kingsmen in the eighth with a leadoff single up the middle. Anthony Sidley moved him to second on a walk and pinch-hitter Zach Bullard nearly brought him home on a single through the right side, but a dart by the right fielder caught him out at home. With Jeff Wilson next up at the plate, Sidley was able to score on a wild pitch, before Espinoza brought Bullard home on a RBI-single up the middle. A bright spot for the Kingsmen, Espinoza finished 3-for-4 in the game with an RBI, and 8-for-12 on the weekend.
The comeback fell short though as Cal Lutheran dropped the final game of the series 6-3. The Kingsmen look to bounce back next weekend against Pacific Lutheran (Wash.). First pitch on Friday, April 13, is set for 3:00 p.m. PST.
Box Score: WC 5, CLU 2; WC 6, CLU 3
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Release by Christy Effendie, Assistant Sports Information Director
