THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Cal Lutheran baseball smashed five homeruns, but could not get out of their own way as they committed four errors, and fell to Piedmont 12-9 on Saturday afternoon.

It was the first series of the year for the Kingsmen as they welcomed the Lions. Piedmont got the better of the Kingsmen and took the series 2-1. 

Five different Kingsmen hit a homerun as Sean Blandino, Josh Quinn, Kyle Reuser, Gordon Richardson and Joseph Scalzo all sent the baseball over the outfield fence. 

John Frazier opened the game and faced 17 batters. He went 2.2 innings and allowed seven hits, one home run, and eight runs. He was followed by Cameron Cooper. Cooper also went for 2.2 innings and allowed two hits.

The Piedmont Lions took an early lead in the first inning, 2-0. They pulled further away in the second inning, 4-0, before Scalzo hit a solo homerun and put Cal Lutheran on the board.

The Lions increased their lead in the third inning, 8-1, but the Kinsgmen closed the distance with two home runs in the fourth, 8-4.

The Kingsmen managed to hold the Lions from making any hits in the fifth. The Kingsmen added two more runs in the bottom of the inning as they looked for a comeback.

The Lions answered in the top of the sixth, going up 10-6. Cal Lutheran continued to fight as  Blandino hit the fifth home run for the Kingsman bringing the score to 10-7. Neither team managed to score in the seventh inning.

Max Kendall came in to pitch for the final inning. He allowed three hits and two runs. The Lions managed to score two runs off three hits, bringing the score to 12-7.

The Kingsmen refused to fold as they pressed on into the bottom of the ninth. With Reuser's single, Max Heverly was able to come home and make the score, 12-8. The Kingsmen continued to inch forward as Jalen Parks hit another single, scoring Zachary Ritter to make it 12-9. That was as close as the Kingsmen would get as the Lions took the game.

The Kingsmen are back in action next Saturday and host Whitworth for a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.

Box Score: PU 12, CLU 9
CLU Instagram: @clusports
Sport IG: @kingsmen_baseball
CLU Twitter: @CLUSports
Sport Twitter: @CLUBaseball
CLU Facebook: @clusports
Hashtags: #clusports #ownthethrone #goregals #gokingsmen #theSCIAC #ncaad3