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Mark Nessia/Mark Nessia Photography
4
Dartmouth College DART 3-7
9
Winner CSU Bakersfield CSUB 8-12
Dartmouth College DART
3-7
4
Final
9
CSU Bakersfield CSUB
8-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Dartmouth College DART 0 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 4 9 2
CSU Bakersfield CSUB 3 2 0 1 0 0 2 1 X 9 11 0

W: Parks, Elijah (2-0) L: Chatham, Clay (1-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

`Runners Take Series Lead with Win

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.  – The CSU Bakersfield baseball team came to play with a renewed sense of focus and urgency on Saturday, pouncing on Dartmouth College for five runs in the first two innings and cruising to a 9-4 victory. 

"After yesterday's performance we needed a bounce back game," said head coach Jeremy Beard.  We needed to play better defense and work ahead in counts.  We had a lengthy discussion last night about finding our identity and what our key factors to success are.  When we he hit the mitt, throw strikes and play good defense and do what we did today on that front when you get a couple of runs you're fine."

The Roadrunners (8-12) jumped out to a five-run advantage with three runs in the first and two runs in the second.  Noah Barba, Austyn Tengan and Andrew Penner reached base in succession to start the game and Jared Toothman knocked in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left.  Tengan advanced to third on an errant throw by a Big Green outfielder and came around to score on a passed ball.  Jassen Oliver completed the scoring in the first inning with a single to right. 

In the second, Hank Schineller singled to lead off the inning and Mark Pena had an infield single to the shortstop to put CSUB in business.  Toothman came through again with a two-out single that scored them both. 
Pena later doubled in the sixth to break out of a season-long slump.  It was Pena's first base hit since back on March 2 at Portland. 

"It's funny how those infielder topper singles can change a guy," said Beard.  "He even had a different look to him when he was in the box in the next at-bat, and he doubled down the line.  He's a senior that we want in our lineup everyday.  If he can continue to play great defense and take quality at-bats he's our guy out there." 

Starter Alec Daily ran into some trouble in the fourth inning and Beard called on freshman Elijah Parks (2-0) with the bases loaded and one out.  Parks struck out the first batter he faced and yielded a two-run single to the second batter that cut the `Runner advantage to 5-3.  The freshman got the next batter to groundout on a fielder's choice to end the Big Green threat. 

"I was thinking about my last start in Charleston and I just couldn't find the zone, so I was just focusing on hitting the mitt and like coach said, made sure my lower half was there," said Parks.  "If you throw strikes, batters get themselves out.  Live in the zone."

Parks surprised even his coach as he finished the ball game and did not allow an earned run in the final 5 2/3 innings pitched. 

"I wasn't expecting him to go the complete distance after coming in in those middle innings, but he stayed with it," said Beard.  "His velo (velocity) stayed up and he kept making pitches. He was very composed today.  He focused on using his lower half a little bit more.  He had more depth on his pitches.  He had a lot of confidence out there and he was just being who he is.  Really, for him, we count on him a lot and put him in tough situations even as a freshman, but he's proven that he can handle those spots."

In the seventh inning, Ryan Koch provided Parks with even more run support when he blasted his second home run of the season that also brought in Evan Berkey. 

Penner continued his torrid pace at the plate as he picked up two more base hits today.  The senior has had at least two hits in six of the `Runners last eight games and is riding a 10-game hitting streak.  Penner has also extended his reached base safely streak to 19 in a row.

Austyn Tengan also had two hits in today's game to raise his season average to .400. 

The `Runners look to win their second series of the season tomorrow when they take on Dartmouth in the fourth game of the four-game set.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.   
 
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