BERKELEY, Calif. - The winning streak continued for the Gaels Monday night as Saint Mary's combined to score nine runs over the final four innings to secure the 10-4 victory. Saint Mary's split the season series with Cal just as they did last year, losing at home but taking the road contest over the Golden Bears.
Freshman
Sean Cannon got the start again after his stellar outing in San Jose last week. He got through three innings before turning things over to the bullpen who allowed just one run over the final seven innings. Four different relief arms went one inning each, recording eight strikeouts and allowing just three hits for easily the best bullpen performance for the Gaels this season.
Aiden Taurek led the team with a pair of RBI including a solo home run in the first inning.
Brady Petit and
Eddie Madrigal also had two-RBI singles that contributed to a five-run sixth inning.
The Gaels continue to find a groove on both sides of the baseball and have now matched their season long win streak with five games.
Dylan Delvecchio completed the fifth inning as the team's second relief arm, making him the pitcher of record before Saint Mary's took the lead in the top of the sixth. He would pick up his third win of the season to tie the team lead and improve to 3-2 on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
1ST INNING
The game nearly started off with a bang as leadoff hitter
Eddie Madrigal clobbered a home run just foul of the right field foul pole. Madrigal was eventually retired via the strikeout and then freshman
Brady Petit flew out to right field on the first pitch he saw for two quick outs.
Aiden Taurek would step up to the plate and avenge Madrigal as Taurek to the first pitch he saw deep to right field and over the fence for his third homer of the season. Taurek got all of the 90 mile per hour fastball and sent it to straightaway right field to give the Gaels the 1-0 lead in the first.
Freshman
Sean Cannon made his second consecutive start and retired the Cal hitters in order to conclude the first inning with Saint Mary's up a run. Cannon would go on to complete three innings but allowed two runs in the second and one in the third which included a solo home run from Jacob French in the second inning. Cannon would depart allowing three runs off four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
6TH INNING
After Cannon departed, the strategy was clear from head coach
Eric Valenzuela as the four Gaels relievers got an inning each to see out the game. The strategy looked even smarter after Saint Mary's retook the lead with a five-run sixth inning thanks to RBI hits from
Eddie Madrigal and
Brady Petit.
The Gaels loaded the bases with one out and forced a pitching change with Ian Armstorng stepping up to the plate. Armstrong worked his way to a 2-2 count before sending a fly ball to deep center to score
Ryan Pierce from third.
Tanner Griffith would then work a two-out walk to extend the inning and turn the lineup over back to Madrigal. Madrigal had put together some great contact in his prior two at-bats but was hitless entering his third. That would all change as Madrigal grounded the 1-2 pitch back up the middle to plate two runs and put Saint Mary's up 4-3.
The very next at-bat, freshman infielder
Brady Petit would win a seven-pitch battle with the Cal reliever and rifle a double down the left field line. Petit would score Madrigal and Griffith as the Gaels took a 6-3 lead after the sixth inning. Petit had been one of the team's top bats off the bench and in pinch-hitting situations but the Southern California native made his fifth start of the season and came up clutch with his first hit of the game to plate two runs.
The bullpen continued to dominate for the Gaels as freshman
Sam Kretsch retired the Golden Bears in order in the bottom half of the sixth including a pair of strikeouts. Saint Mary's would take a three-run lead into the final three innings of the ballgame.
8TH INNING
After allowing a run in the bottom of the seventh, the Gaels would add some insurance with four more runs in the eighth to take a 10-4 lead. Saint Mary's would put runners on the corners with no outs after a crucial throwing error from Cal pitcher Jordy Lopez off a sacrifice bunt from Armstrong.
Griffith would come to the plate and the Gaels would continue to play some small ball as he put down a safety squeeze attempt with
Jared Mettam on third. Griffith's bunt attempt would be a bit firm and get to the crashing first baseman quickly, forcing Mettam to stay put initially at third. Cal would get the out at first but on the throw over Mettam would take off for home and create a play at the plate. Mettam found the backside of home plate and was able to squeeze in with a stellar head first slide for the first run of the inning.
The Gaels would go on to record three straight hits including RBI singles from
Cody Kashimoto and
Ryan Pierce and an RBI double from Taurek off the left center wall. The Saint Mary's hitters put together quality swings up and down the lineup and cashed in with two big innings to take a six-run lead into the ninth.
Daniel Guevara Castro polished off the eighth and freshman
Talin Gardini would seal the deal in the ninth, recording the last out of the game with a strikeout to give Saint Mary's the 10-4 victory and split the season series with Cal.
Dylan Delvecchio got credit for the win after completing the fifth inning and standing as the pitcher of record. He now is tied for the team high along with
Donovan Chriss at three wins.
Aiden Taurek was 2-for-4 on the night with two runs scored and two RBI. Madrigal and Petit also had two RBI each after their RBI singles back in the sixth inning. Madrigal leads the team with 41 RBI and Petit is now hitting .429 on the season in his 28 at-bats, recording 12 hits, three doubles and eight RBI. The night also stood as the team's best bullpen performance of the season, finishing with seven innings of work allowing just one run off three hits.
Saint Mary's will take their five-game win streak into the weekend as they host LMU in another pivotal conference series as the Lions sit in a tie for third place with Portland at 9-6.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's improved to 20-19 and eclipsed the .500 mark for the first time since March 23rd when they were 12-11. They will head into the weekend series in great form as they host LMU in WCC action. Game one of the series is slated for Friday, April 25th at 3:00 PM and you can get your tickets online at smcgaels.com/tickets.
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