Sunday, May 3
Moraga, CA
12:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
26-21, 11-10
4
vs
5
Seattle U
16-25, 11-10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle U | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Saint Mary's | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
#13 Cam Staton: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 SO vs. Seattle U
BSB | Gaels Drop Another Nail-Biter in Rubber Match to Redhawks
5/3/2026 5:28:00 PM | Baseball
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's baseball team dropped the rubber match to Seattle U 5-4 in what was another nail biter at Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Three lead changes would start the game over the first three innings as the Gaels jumped out to a 4-3 lead after a three-run third inning. Diego Castellanos and Makoa Sniffen would record RBI hits in the frame before a wacky first and third play would score Castellanos from third to put the Gaels back in front 4-3. Seattle U (16-25, 11-10) returned the favor though with a clutch two-out two-RBI single in the fifth inning to put them back in front 5-4. The Redhawks starter gave up all four runs to Saint Mary's (26-21, 11-10) but remained in the game and completed a clean fourth, fifth and sixth inning to put himself in line for the win. Reliever Blake Smith was effective in his three innings of work, closing the game with four strikeouts to earn his second save of the season.
The Gaels threatened again in the ninth inning, in similar fashion to the end of game two Saturday night. Tanner Griffith rifled a two-out triple to the right center wall but Castellanos would ground out to short to end the threat and give Seattle U the 5-4 rubber match victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tanner Griffith has proven to be one of the best leadoff hitters in the WCC and he got things started with a bang, smashing his fourth home run of the season just inside the right field foul pole to give the Gaels a 1-0 lead in the first. The Redhawks answered with three runs of their own though in the top of the second including a solo home run from Royce Hale to tie the game at one. A two-out two-RBI single later in the inning would give Seattle a 3-1 lead after two.
The WCC's best offense responded with a three-spot of their own in the bottom of the third thanks to RBI hits from Castellanos and Sniffen. A pair of walks got the rally started before Castellanos slapped a double down the third base line to score Brady Petit from second. Sniffen then yanked a single through the 5-6 hole to tie the game at three for his conference leading 50th RBI of the season. The very next at bat, catcher Ian Armstrong worked a six-pitch walk with Sniffen on first and Castellanos on third. Sniffen had taken off on the ball four pitch but Seattle's catcher did not hear the ball four call and threw all the way down to second. On the throw, Castellanos decided to trot home from third on what was a live ball to give Saint Mary's a 4-3 lead. A wacky situation nonetheless, the Gaels completed the three-run frame and retook the lead 4-3.
Head coach Eric Valenzuela used six pitchers in Sunday's rubber match but Seattle would jump back in front with another clutch two-out single, scoring two runs in the fifth to take the lead back at 5-4. Seattle had a great relief performance in Saturday's game and they got another one on Sunday as Blake Smith went three scoreless to maintain their 5-4 lead. The Gaels got down to their final out in the ninth but threatened to tie the game thanks to a two-out triple from Tanner Griffith to put him 90 feet away as the tying run. Castellanos would come to the plate but ground the 0-1 pitch to the shortstop who threw him out on a bang-bang play to end the game.
The Gaels had bright spots on both sides of the ball, timely scoring and quality relief outings including 3.1 scoreless innings from Cam Staton, but they couldn't find a way to tie the game as they finished the ballgame with six hits on their four runs scored. Griffith and Sniffen led the team with two hits each while Castellanos went 1-for-5 to extend his season long hit streak to 23 games.
The West Coast Conference remains bunched as the Gaels are 11-10 now and sit in a three-way tie for fifth place, just two games back of second with six games remaining.
GAME NOTES
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's will get the midweek off before heading down to Southern California to take on LMU starting on Friday, May 8 at 6:00 p.m. The weekend series can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Three lead changes would start the game over the first three innings as the Gaels jumped out to a 4-3 lead after a three-run third inning. Diego Castellanos and Makoa Sniffen would record RBI hits in the frame before a wacky first and third play would score Castellanos from third to put the Gaels back in front 4-3. Seattle U (16-25, 11-10) returned the favor though with a clutch two-out two-RBI single in the fifth inning to put them back in front 5-4. The Redhawks starter gave up all four runs to Saint Mary's (26-21, 11-10) but remained in the game and completed a clean fourth, fifth and sixth inning to put himself in line for the win. Reliever Blake Smith was effective in his three innings of work, closing the game with four strikeouts to earn his second save of the season.
The Gaels threatened again in the ninth inning, in similar fashion to the end of game two Saturday night. Tanner Griffith rifled a two-out triple to the right center wall but Castellanos would ground out to short to end the threat and give Seattle U the 5-4 rubber match victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tanner Griffith has proven to be one of the best leadoff hitters in the WCC and he got things started with a bang, smashing his fourth home run of the season just inside the right field foul pole to give the Gaels a 1-0 lead in the first. The Redhawks answered with three runs of their own though in the top of the second including a solo home run from Royce Hale to tie the game at one. A two-out two-RBI single later in the inning would give Seattle a 3-1 lead after two.
The WCC's best offense responded with a three-spot of their own in the bottom of the third thanks to RBI hits from Castellanos and Sniffen. A pair of walks got the rally started before Castellanos slapped a double down the third base line to score Brady Petit from second. Sniffen then yanked a single through the 5-6 hole to tie the game at three for his conference leading 50th RBI of the season. The very next at bat, catcher Ian Armstrong worked a six-pitch walk with Sniffen on first and Castellanos on third. Sniffen had taken off on the ball four pitch but Seattle's catcher did not hear the ball four call and threw all the way down to second. On the throw, Castellanos decided to trot home from third on what was a live ball to give Saint Mary's a 4-3 lead. A wacky situation nonetheless, the Gaels completed the three-run frame and retook the lead 4-3.
Head coach Eric Valenzuela used six pitchers in Sunday's rubber match but Seattle would jump back in front with another clutch two-out single, scoring two runs in the fifth to take the lead back at 5-4. Seattle had a great relief performance in Saturday's game and they got another one on Sunday as Blake Smith went three scoreless to maintain their 5-4 lead. The Gaels got down to their final out in the ninth but threatened to tie the game thanks to a two-out triple from Tanner Griffith to put him 90 feet away as the tying run. Castellanos would come to the plate but ground the 0-1 pitch to the shortstop who threw him out on a bang-bang play to end the game.
The Gaels had bright spots on both sides of the ball, timely scoring and quality relief outings including 3.1 scoreless innings from Cam Staton, but they couldn't find a way to tie the game as they finished the ballgame with six hits on their four runs scored. Griffith and Sniffen led the team with two hits each while Castellanos went 1-for-5 to extend his season long hit streak to 23 games.
The West Coast Conference remains bunched as the Gaels are 11-10 now and sit in a three-way tie for fifth place, just two games back of second with six games remaining.
GAME NOTES
- Castellanos recorded an RBI double in the third to extend his hit streak to 23 games
- Sniffen went 2-for-4 including an RBI single in the third; he leads the WCC in hits, home runs and RBI
- Griffith recorded his fourth home run of the season with a leadoff shot in the bottom of the first
- Griffith also recorded his second triple of the season in the ninth inning
- Freshman Cooper Berger made his first career start, completing two innings
- Cam Staton made his second appearance of the season and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings along with a game high four strikeouts
- The Gaels were error-free for the 22nd time this season; they are now 16-6 this season when they don't commit an error
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's will get the midweek off before heading down to Southern California to take on LMU starting on Friday, May 8 at 6:00 p.m. The weekend series can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hagler, Micah (3-5)
L: Martin Romero, Luis (2-1)
S: Smith, Blake (2)
Batting:
2B: Knowles, Payton 1 ; Stevenson, Jared 1
HR: Hale, Royce 1
RBI: Hale, Royce 1 ; Beauchaine, Jake 2 ; Stevenson, Jared 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Rhein, Kenny 1 ; Hale, Royce 2 ; Beauchaine, Jake 1 ; Stinnett, Brandon 1
HBP: Knowles, Payton 1 ; Stinnett, Brandon 1
Batting:
2B: Castellanos, Diego 1
3B: Griffith, Tanner 1
HR: Griffith, Tanner 1
RBI: Griffith, Tanner 1 ; Castellanos, Diego 1 ; Sniffen, Makoa 1
SH: Kashimoto, Cody 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Griffith, Tanner 2 ; Castellanos, Diego 1 ; Petit, Brady 1
HBP: Johnson, Jacob 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
/ BaseballRHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballLHP
/ BaseballBSB | Saint Mary's vs. Seattle U Highlights, 5-3-26
Sunday, May 03
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Seattle U Highlights, 5-2-26
Saturday, May 02
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Seattle U Highlights, 5-1-26
Friday, May 01
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Cal Highlights, 4-28-26
Tuesday, April 28
