CLAREMONT, Calif. – Freshman Kyle Reuser came up clutch for Cal Lutheran yet again as his ninth-inning two-RBI double lifted the Kingsmen over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the series opener. CLU scored in the first and ninth innings to grab a 5-3 win and stay undefeated.
Alexander Rivas expectedly got the start for game one of the series and did not necessarily have his best stuff, but was still quite effective. He saw his scoreless-inning streak come to an end, but the sophomore delivered a quality outing, tossing seven innings, allowing three earned runs while scattering seven hits in the contest.
Ryan Probst and Tanner Wright were the only Kingsmen hitters to record a multi-hit days. Probst went 2-for-5 with a run scored while Wright held down the lead-off spot well with his 2-for-4 performance. Ryne Yamashiro blasted his first big fly of the season, going 1-for-3 with three RBI.
The Kingsmen (8-0, 4-0 SCIAC) got started right away as they hung a three-spot in the top of the first inning against Stags' number-one starter Justin Hull. Wright opened up the game with a solid single to left field. Freshman Austin Carrillo then followed with a base hit of his own, but Wright would get hung up on the bases. Keeping the rally alive was Probst with a hard-hit ground ball that found its way through the infield.
Clean-up hitter Yamashiro provided the big swing Cal Lutheran needed yet again as the senior launched a no-doubt homer to left-center field. The three-run shot flew into the trees at Bill Arce Field and the Kingsmen now found themselves with a 3-0 lead.
The hosts would not go away easily, however, and managed to push a run across in the home half of the inning to cut the lead to 3-1. This brought Rivas' scoreless-inning streak of 12 to an end.
Rivas and Hull would settle in after the first frame, silencing the offense for the next five innings. The Kingsmen managed only one hit between the second and sixth innings.
CMS would finally get to Rivas in the bottom of the six, tacking on two more runs to tie the score.
The Purple and Gold threatened in the eighth when Probst slapped a line drive into the right-center gap for a double. Daniel Parr nearly gave the Kingsmen the lead when he barreled up a pitch and sent it into deep left-center field, but the Stags' center fielder managed to track it down near the warning track.
Rivas handed the ball off to Clay Rickerman in the bottom half of the eighth and set Claremont-Mudd-Scripps down quickly.
After going seven innings without scoring, the Kingsmen finally regained the lead in the ninth. A pair of walks to Zach Bullard and pinch-hitter Chris Spohr set the table for Kyle Reuser. After both runners advanced into scoring position after a balk, the freshman ripped a line drive over the shortstop's head and into the left-center gap, bringing both runners across with his two-RBI double.
Christian Slattery, Cal Lutheran's closer, toed the rubber in the ninth and struck out the side to pick up his fourth save of the young season. The senior now currently leads the nation in saves.
The Kingsmen return to George "Sparky" Anderson Field for tomorrow's doubleheader with the Stags starting at 11 a.m.
Box Score: CLU 5, CMS 3
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Release by Jeff Rebello, Assistant Sports Information Director
