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California State University at Bakersfield Athletics

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Mark Nessia/Mark Nessia Photography
2
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 2-6
13
Winner California CAL 5-2
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
2-6
2
Final
13
California CAL
5-2
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 9 3
California CAL 0 0 0 0 7 5 1 0 X 13 15 2

W: Ladrech (1-1) L: Cutting, Ben (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

CSUB Falls in Series Finale at Cal

BERKELEY, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield baseball team started off strong on Sunday in the four-game series finale at Cal.  The Roadrunners held a slim lead for through 4 ½ innings, but were ultimately defeated by a 13-2 score.

For the third time in four games, the `Runner (2-6) offense struck first.  Ryan Koch led off the second inning with a single up the middle and Luis Martinez followed with a double to put CSUB in business.  Jassen Oliver made it three straight hits for the visitors as he singled through the left side to score Koch.  However, with nobody out in the inning, Evan Berkey popped up and Daniel Nist grounded into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play. 

Early in the game, junior starter Ben Cutting dazzled.  He sent the Golden Bears (5-2) down in order in the second inning.  In the third frame, Cutting allowed a two-out single but stranded the runner at third to escape.  The junior stranded another baserunner at third in the fourth when he recorded back-to-back strikeouts to get out of the jam, including catching the final batter of the inning looking on a full count to end the threat. 

"Regardless of the outcome of the series, our ball club got better this weekend," said head coach Jeremy Beard.  "You never like to see things get out of hand, but when you make defensive mistakes at the wrong time, good teams will take advantage.  Every time we got some momentum offensively, we were unable to back it up on the defensive end."

Cal finally got to Cutting in the fifth as the Golden Bears piled on seven runs, all with two outs, to take control.  The home team tacked on five more runs in the following inning to put the game out of reach.  Cutting was saddled with the loss after allowing seven runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched. 

"They have a mature and physical team with plate discipline and aggressive swingers and a lineup that fits their park," said Beard.  "We fell behind in too many counts on the mound and they took advantage of that as well."

The `Runner offense didn't go down without a fight.  In the top of the seventh, Berkey reached on an error and hustled all the way to third with one out.  Nist got the job done this time with a RBI groundout to the third baseman. 

Kyle King tossed a scoreless eighth in the second appearance of the season for the redshirt junior.  King allowed a hit, but got a double play to wipe the bases and struck out a batter. 

Offensively, CSUB tallied nine hits on the day and had at least one baserunner in all but the first and third innings.  Oliver and Koch both had two hits apiece to lead the attack, while Berkey had a hit, walked and scored a run.  Berkey continues to be all over the basepaths and has extended his reached base safely streak to all eight games of his career.  Andrew Penner also had a hit on Sunday and he has now reached base in seven consecutive games. 

"We need to embrace the adversity and get back at it on Tuesday against another quality opponent in Northridge," said Beard. 

`The Runners are back in action on Tuesday night at Hardt Field when they host CSUN at 6:00 p.m.
 
 
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