Cougar Baseball Splits Double-Header With Bethany
March 3, 2006

Complete Box Scores »» Game 1    Game 2

In what were arguably the two best games in the young history of the Cal State San Marcos baseball program, the Cougars split a double-header against Bethany on Saturday. CSUSM held on to win game one 9-7 before losing a game two heartbreaker 3-2.

A crowd of over 100 fans came out to San Marcos High to cheer on the Cougars, who were playing their first home game in nearly a month after a couple rain-outs. They were treated to a full day of terrific baseball, with both contests coming down to the wire. In both games, pitching and defense proved to be the deciding factors.

Based on how game one started, however, it looked like the fans were headed for a slugfest typical of what we've seen so far at the very small San Marcos High field. The first four Cougar batters crossed the plate, as Bethany starter Tyler Hamilton struggled with his control early. A leadoff single by Terry Moritz and back-to-back walks to Tristan Gale and Scott Shapiro loaded the bases, and Austin Way crushed a two-RBI double to make it 2-0. A Matt Castro sac fly plated the third run, and Ricardo Moran brought in the fourth with a single.

But in the second inning, it was Bethany's turn. The first six hitters of the inning would reach base, highlighted by a Spencer Frantz two-run double. After an out was finally made, Justin Berger drilled a home run over the leftfield fence to make the score 7-4 and knock Skaalen out of the game.

With the game showing all the makings of becoming a home-run derby, the Cougar bullpen, which struggled early in the year, stepped up and delivered its best performance of the season. It started with Eric Julienne, who pitched out of the second inning with no further damage before notching scoreless third and fourth innings as well. He was greatly aided in the fourth by shortstop Ricardo Moran, who with two on and two outs went deep into the hole to field a ground ball, and rocketed a throw over to first just in time to beat the runner.

Lifted by Julienne's pitching, the Cougars would re-take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. After two quick outs, Cory Ventura hit a seemingly harmless single, then stole second. A Terry Moritz single put runners at the corners for Tristan Gale, and he delivered with a single of hi sown, plating Ventura. But the best was yet to come. Slugger Scott Shapiro came to the plate, and teed off on a low fastball, sending an absolute no-doubter well over the left field fence and onto San Marcos Boulevard.

That gave the Cougars an 8-7 lead, which would prove enough for the bullpen on this day. Lance McCormick took over for Julienne in the fifth, and was stellar on his way to picking up the win. He allowed just two hits over four innings of work, striking out a pair while walking nobody.

Meanwhile, the Bethany bullpen also rose to the challenge, as reliever Jeremy Glenn threw three innings of one-run ball. The lone Cougar run was manufactured in the 8th, as Tristan Gale singled, stole second, was advanced to third, and came home on a check-swing groundout by Adam Ricciardulli.

With the score 9-7, David Julio came in to close the game in the 9th. After getting the first out, he walked the next batter, then allowed a double to put runners at second and third. The pivotal play of the game would follow: Daniel Garcia hits a chopper back to Julio. The runners freeze, and rather than taking the easy out, Julio wheels and fires to third - and gets the out. It was a very close play, and would have proved disastrous had the runner been called safe. But as it stands, the next batter harmlessly grounded out, earning Julio the save and the Cougars their hard-fought first home win.

The pitching vibe from game one would carry over into game two. As the second game of a double-header, it was scheduled for 7 innings, but would take 8 to be decided.

The Cougars would send Shapiro to the mound, where he battled control problems but still managed to throw four scoreless innings. Shapiro's curveball was nasty on Saturday, and it got him out of more than one jam.

For Bethany, Mark Koski would take the mound and turn in a fantastic performance. The lefty went the distance, allowing just two runs and eventually picking up the win.

The Cougars got on the board first in the third inning due to good luck and timely hitting. With two outs and nobody on, Spencer Pardon hit a ball that ate up the second baseman, and Pardon hustled in to second. Gale promptly delivered a single to make the game 1-0.

CSUSM stretched the lead to 2-0 in the fifth. Chuck Baird led off with a single, and after a sac bunt, pinch hitter Terry Moritz drove a double to left center to score the run.

But the Cougar defense that was so good in game one would prove to be the team's undoing in game two. After Russell Zabel heroically got out of a bases-loaded one-out mess in the sixth with back-to-back strikeouts, he would get touched up for a pair of runs in the seventh. Spencer Frantz reached base on a throwing error to lead off the inning, and after a double moved him to third, he would score on a wild pitch. A groundout would bring in the tying run, and the inning ended with the score tied thanks to a close out at the plate.

The Cougars had their chance to win in the bottom of the 7th. With a runner on third and two outs, pinch hitter Jason Kutzler attempted a surprise bunt, but it was fielded harmlessly by the first baseman.

Bethany would capitalize and win it in the 8th, once again due to shaky Cougar defense. Back-to-back errors on softly-hit ground balls greeted reliever Grant Harrell, and though Harrell rallied to strike out the next two batters, a two-strike single by Frank Paletta scored a run. Though the second run would be cut down at the plate by a great Jason Hinton throw from left field, the damage was done, as Bethany held on to win 3-2 and hand Harrell the undeserved loss.

Despite the disappointing outcome of game two, fans were treated to a great day of baseball at San Marcos High. Those looking to catch the next home game should head out to the field on March 17th, when the Cougars will play a double-header against Central Christian.