 |
|
The Slipper Nearly Fit: Baseball Falls Just Short of Knocking
Off #2 Azusa |
|
On a day in which #13 University of San Diego upset #4 University of Connecticut in basketball, Cal State San Marcos baseball tried to engage in a little March Madness of its own against #2 Azusa. And for most of the game, it looked like the slipper might fit – with Azusa just barely holding off a furious Cougar comeback. The game ended in an 11-8 loss for CSUSM. Azusa Pacific, who on the season has hit .345 with 42 home runs as a team, got started early. Cougar starter Steve Triolo walked the first two hitters, then allowed a seeing-eye single. He very nearly worked through the first inning jitters, striking out cleanup hitter Brice Cutspec and then inducing a possible double-play ball. But Triolo’s defense wasn’t able to turn it, allowed a run to score. Next batter Stephen Gillette launched a three-run homer, making it 4-0. Azusa’s Matt Venegas made it 6-0 in the second with a two-run homer of his own, ending Triolo’s day. Reliever David Julio was called in, and got through the rest of the innings scoreless, thanks in no small part to a run-saving diving stop by shortstop Johnny Omahen. Austin Coleman got the Cougars on the board in the third, continuing his red-hot hitting with a two-out homer to left. Omahen then drew a hard-fought walk, and Ricardo Moran ripped an RBI double, making it 6-2. Julio got through the third without allowing a run, and Tristan Gale got the Cougar rally started in the bottom of the inning with the rare broken-bat double (especially rare considering it was an aluminum bat). That brought Terry Moritz to the plate, and the newly-shaven rightfielder drove a wind-aided home run to center, bringing the Cougars within two. Azusa made it 7-4 in the fourth, but Julio stranded a couple runners to keep it at that. He worked an easy 1-2-3 fifth, getting help from impressive play by the left side of his infield (Coleman and Omahen). Thanks to the solid pitching, the Cougars continued their comeback effort. Austin Way led off the fifth by hooking a homer just around the foul pole in right, making it 7-5. Cougar reliever Eric Julienne inherited runners at the corners with nobody out in the sixth, but the lefty came through big-time. Julienne struck out the side, mowing down some of the best hitters in the NAIA in keeping the game at 7-5. Julienne stranded a pair of runners in the seventh, allowing just an unearned run to keep it at 8-5. Way quickly got that run back, crushing a home run over the fence in center, his second of the contest. But Azusa would pull away. Kirk Nieuwenhuis greeted reliever Lance McCormick with a first-pitch bomb in the eighth, making it 9-6. Two batters later, Drew Evans made it 10-6 with a solo shot of his own. A single and an RBI double made it 11-6, before the call was made to reliever Grant Harrell to close out the frame. The Cougars got one back the following inning, with Louie Russo delivering a two-out double to plate Coleman. Harrell picked his way through a scoreless ninth, keeping the game at 11-7 and setting the stage for a potential comeback. In the ninth, CSUSM quickly loaded the bases, taking advantage of an error and a couple walks. Jackson Chapelone made it 11-8 with a sac fly, giving the Cougars two chances with the tying run at the plate. But it was not to be, as a pair of groundouts ended the contest. Despite the loss, it was still quite an effort from CSUSM, who are now 10-14-1 on the season. There won’t be time to enjoy any moral victories, however, as CSUSM will host Principia College (Ill.) at San Marcos High on Saturday.
|