Herter, Sea Lions Stifle Eagle Bats, 6-2

Box Score 

(2/13/08 - Baseball) IRVINE - Point Loma Nazarene RHP Adam Herter allowed just three hits over seven innings to lead the visiting Sea Lions to a 6-2 win over Concordia, Tuesday afternoon in Golden State Athletic Conference play.

Herter gave up just one run in the 4th inning on an infield groundout after Cody Kissell had led off the inning with a double. After Mike Gonzalez flew out to push Kissell to third, Matt Ross drew a walk. Aric Weinberg hit a sharp grounder to first that Ian MacMaster could only knock down and tag his bag instead of turning a possible double play.

Still on top with a 2-1 lead, the Sea Lions gave Herter (3-0) two more runs in the 6th inning. A two-out rally started with a single by Andy Reilly, then MacMaster was hit by a 2-0 pitch by Dan Orlick (0-1). Tyler Kuehl and Jesse Gill delivered back-to-back RBI-singles, respectively, chasing the Concordia starter with Kuehl providing what turned out to be the game-winning run.

Herter settled in after the rally and kept the Eagles off the board before turning the ball over to Jayson Swen in the 8th. Herter faced one more jam in the 7th inning as the Eagles loaded the bases with a two-out rally of their own. However, Beau Poteet flied out to center with what would have been the tying run.

The Eagles created a one brief threat in the 9th inning after Scooter Hendrickson hit a one-out single, then Gregg Davidson reached on an error to put runners at the corners. Poteet beat out an infield single to plate pinch-runner Edgar Guillen, prompting the Sea Lions to call on closer Robbie Naegele to finish off the game. He struck out Nathan Dean, then Davidson was caught trying to take third base on a ball in the dirt for the final out.

Kaohi Downing menaced the Eagles all day in the leadoff spot, going 4-for-5 with a RBi while Reilly finished 3-for-4 with a run scored. Mike Reynolds hit a 9th-inning home run and added a pair of hits with two RBI and two runs scored.

Hendrickson was the only Eagle with multiple hits in the game as the Eagles managed just one hit through the first six innings. Orlick took the loss in his Concordia debut, allowing eight hits and four runs (three earned) in 5.2 innings while striking out three.

Concordia (3-2, 2-1 GSAC) hits the road this Saturday, February 16 for a doubleheader at #2-ranked Azusa Pacific with the first game of the pair starting at 11:00 a.m. Live stats will be available to follow both games for those not in attendance.