Baseball Loses Tightly Contested Game to Willamette
February 18, 2007

Complete Box Score

It was a tough Sunday for CSUSM baseball, as the squad let a very winnable game against Willamette slip away, losing 9-6. The well-attended game was played at Mission Bay High, and was the first home contest for CSUSM since February 2nd.

Perhaps what made the game so frustrating is the way the Cougars started. CSUSM came out swinging, posting four runs in the bottom of the first. Charles Baird got things started with a leadoff single and stolen base. After a strikeout and flyout, Austin Way kept the inning alive with a single. Left fielder Adam Ricciardulli doubled both runners in, then was doubled in himself by Matt Castro.

The torrid start by the CSUSM hitters was matched by Cougar starter Travis Zabel. Zabel had great stuff on Sunday, striking out the first two hitters he faced and allowing just one hit in his first four innings of work.

But in the fifth, things would start to turn sour for the Cougars. Willamette's Ty Erikson led off the inning with a home run, making the score 4-1. Dan Maslanik then drew a walk, but an alert throw by CSUSM catcher Ian Chatfield picked him off. It was a good thing, as the next hitter doubled, followed by a single, knocking Zabel out of the game. The pitching change unfortunately didn't change the momentum, as Willamette singled a couple more times to make the score 4-3.

Willamette would take the lead the next inning thanks to an RBI double by Kelly Gilmore and perfectly-executed suicide squeeze by David Tufo. But the Cougars wouldn't go down easily, as Adam Ricciardulli led off the bottom half of the inning with a home run to tie the score at 5. It was Ricciardulli's third home run and tenth RBI on the year.

Willamette pushed across a run in the 7th, and threatened in the 8th - but reliever Grant Harrell worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam without giving up a run. The Cougars tied the game in the bottom of the 8th thanks to a leadoff Austin Way home run off Jarrid Summers. Summers, Willamette's starter, was very good on the day, pitching eight solid innings and eventually picking up the win.

That win would be secured in the 9th. Lefty specialist Gerald Casanada was greeted with a double on the first - and only - pitch he threw. Cougar closer Scott Shapiro came in, and after a sacrifice, worked his way to an 0-2 count against Eriksen. But Shapiro's third pitch would hit Eriksen, and Shapiro would walk the next hitter. With the bases loaded, Ellis Webster delivered a two-run double. Willamette tacked on one more, and Joe Penkala worked the 9th to close out the game.

The Cougars won't have much time to lick their wounds. They'll play home games against Patten College on Monday and Tuesday, starting at 1:00 PM and noon, respectively. The games will take place at San Marcos High, and all fans are welcome to come out and cheer on the team!