ORANGE, Calif. — It's not over 'til it's over, and the season is still far from over for Cal Lutheran Baseball. Though the Kingsmen fell to the Chapman Panthers 7-0 in game one of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, the team returns to W.O. Hart Park tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. seeking redemption against the Occidental Tigers.
Getting the nod for his 11th start of the season, senior Justin Fong struggled to catch a break, Friday afternoon, as Chapman roughed him up for seven runs on 10 hits across his 5.2 frames. Relieving him in the sixth, sophomore Clay Rickerman, gave up a two-RBI knock before baring down to toss the final two hitless innings of the game.
After allowing a run in the first, Fong seemed to return to form in the second, striking out a batter and retiring the side on a grounder to first to strand runners on the corners. And though he seemed to settle down even more with a perfect 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, his offense struggled to give him the run support needed.
Facing off against Chapman's Jonathan Hernandez, the Kingsmen lineup notched just four base runners in the contest, with the lone hit coming from senior Trevor Egan to lead off the sixth. The shortstop broke Hernandez' no-no bid with a double down the left field line, but unfortunately for the Kingsmen, two batters later the Panthers turned a line-out double play to end the inning.
For Chapman, all seven RBIs came from their 2-3-4 spot hitters, led by Brad Shimabuku with three, and Tristan Kevitch and Mack Cheli with a pair each.
The SCIAC crown is still not out of reach for Cal Lutheran though as the Kingsmen look to stay alive in the conference tournament. They face off against No. 3 Occidental at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning at W.O. Hart Park.
Championship Central
Game Two: No. 3 Occidental vs. No. 4 Cal Lutehran
Saturday, May 11, 2019 | 10 a.m. PT
W.O. Hart Park | Orange, California
Watch
Box Score: CU 7, CLU 0
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Release by Christy Effendie, Assistant Sports Information Director
