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Baseball Falls Just Short in Comeback Bid, Loses
4-3 to #13 Cal Baptist |
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It was heartbreak for Cougar
baseball on Thursday, as the squad braved the elements to travel to
#13 Cal Baptist, only to see their late comeback come up just short.
CSUSM lost 4-3, falling to 3-7 on the season, while Cal
Baptist improves to 9-4. The wet weather played a large
role, as four errors proved to be the Cougars’ undoing.
The Lancers’ two unearned runs were the difference between
a win and a loss. Both came in the first inning,
as a one-out error set the table for Cal Baptist.
After they got one run in, another error extended the inning,
allowing the second run to score. Cougar starter Lance McCormick
was the victim of the rough defense.
He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs – but only one
earned. The Cougar bullpen would buckle
down – and the defense would settle down – keeping CSUSM in the
contest. After Cal
Baptist made it 3-o in the fourth, CSUSM got on the board in the top
of the fifth, thanks to a Dane Ponciano RBI double. As the bullpen continued to
hold, the Cougars were able to inch closer, scoring again in the
seventh on a Jared Suwyn sac fly.
With the score 3-2, the Lancers were able to gain a little
bit of separation in the eighth, taking advantage of a leadoff error
to manufacture a run. CSUSM would rally in the ninth,
and get within a hit of tying the game.
Austin Way led off the inning with a home run, cutting the
deficit to 4-3. Tristan Gale then knocked a one-out single, and was able to
steal second. After a
walk, Gale stole third – putting runners at the corners with two
outs. But reliever Joe Daily struck out the final hitter to
preserve the save and the win for Cal Baptist.
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