BERKELEY, Calif. — Friday night's game against Cal for Saint Mary's had a drastically different feel to it than the first game of the series. After losing decisively in game one, the Gaels pitching staff responded with a strong performance on Friday afternoon. It was met pitch-by-pitch from the Bears, who locked up with Saint Mary's in a classic pitcher's duel. The game needed extra innings to determine a winner, and that would go to Cal. In the bottom of the 11^th, the Bears broke through and scored the winning run, ending the game at 2-1 as Cal takes the first two games of this four-game series.
 
KY CRUISING
After a rough night from the pitching staff on Thursday, the Gaels got the start they needed from Ky Bush. Bumped up one slot in the rotation, Bush didn't skip a beat against the Bears, tossing the first five innings of the game. Bush allowed just three Cal hits, one run in the first inning, and struck out eight to tie his season-best. He was in major trouble in the first, with Cal loading up the bases with nobody out. He got a pair of strikeouts to nearly escape the jam, but allowed a bases-loaded walk to Nathan Mortorell to put the Bears in front. After that, Bush settled down, eventually retiring the next ten batters he faced heading into the fifth.
 
WHERE IT ALL ENDED
After Saint Mary's failed to score in the top of the 11^th, Ryan Sanders came on to pitch in relief of Christopher Campos. Sanders allowed an infield single to open up the inning, but responded nicely with a strikeout. After a solid single to right field put runners on the corners with one out, the Gaels were in trouble with Nathan Martorell up. After hitting two home runs yesterday, Martorell drove in the only two runs for Cal on Friday, with a sacrifice fly to deep left field to end the game.
 
NOT MANY CHANCES
Saint Mary's got their lone run of the game in the second inning, when Justin Banks led off with a double. After a pair of outs kept Banks at second, Nick Mistone singled to put runners on the corners for JC Santini. JC proceeded to smoke one off of third base, allowing Banks to score and tying the game up 1-1, a score that would stand for a long while. After the second, SMC only put their leadoff runner on base once more (sixth inning), and only got a runner to third base once more (fifth inning).
 
UP NEXT
The series heads to Moraga on Saturday and Sunday as the Gaels will be the home team the next two days, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 pm tomorrow afternoon. Sam Bower will get the ball for SMC, and he will be opposed by Sean Sullivan, winless in a pair of starts this season for the Bears. Both games at home will be streamed on the WCC Network, with Ben Ross and Brian Brownfield on the broadcast.