Five-Run Fifth Downs Hawks, 11-2

Box Score 

(3/27/08 - Baseball) IRVINE - Host Concordia broke a 2-2 tie with a five-run 5th inning to run away with a 11-2 win over San Diego Christian, Thursday afternoon in Golden State Athletic Conference play.

The win was a big one for the Eagles as they entered the day tied with both the Hawks and Point Loma Nazarene for 6th place in the GSAC. Coupled with a loss by California Baptist, the Eagles moved up into a three-way tie for 5th place, a position that would likely hold the last spot in the NAIA Region II Playoffs.

The teams traded the lead through the first half of the game before the Eagles exploded with the game-clinching rally. Manny Hernandez and Sean West paired doubles in the 2nd inning for a 1-0 lead for the Hawks, but the Eagles came back with two runs in the 4th thanks to a pair of San Diego Christian miscues.

The Hawks briefly tied the game in their half of the 5th as Andrew Hayashi provided a sacrifice fly. However, the Eagles would have the lead for good before their first out was recorded in the home half.

Cody Kissell was hit by the first pitch of the inning, then stole second one pitch later to get into scoring position. After falling behind 1-2, all-American Matt Ross blasted the first fastball he saw of the at-bat directly over the 400' sign in center field, a letter-high offering that turned into his 4th round-tripper of the season for a 4-2 lead.

The inning continued against Hawks' starter Lance Janke (4-3) as Aric Weinberg singled into left field. Nathan Dean legged out an infield single two batters later before Mike Gonzalez doubled in another run with a run-scoring hit to right field. Freshman C Chase Moltz fought off an inside fastball and tallied the final two runs of the inning with a single through a drawn-in infield up the middle for a 7-2 lead.

Gonzalez, who finished the day 3-for-4 with three runs scored and 5 RBI, added to his total with a two-run home run to right in the 7th inning after Dean had led off with a double. He added his final two RBI with a single through the right side in the 8th inning.

Despite allowing eight hits and a pair of walks in five innings, senior RHP Derek Bondo (1-3) was able to pick up the win as the Hawks stranded 12 runners. Bondo worked out of trouble in each of his frames, leaving at least two runners on base in 3-of-5 stanzas. Cameron Bayne worked three scoreless innings while Jason Scheumann took care of a scoreless 9th inning.

Weinberg and Dean also had three hits apiece on the day, combining to score four runs while Dean had a pair of doubles to run his team-leading total to 14. Moltz finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in just his 5th collegiate start.

Danny Gonzales was 3-for-4 with a double to lead San Diego Christian (12-12, 8-10 GSAC) while Tyler Perkins was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Janke yielded seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits in six innings, walking four while striking out six.

Concordia (11-11, 9-9 GSAC) hits the road this Saturday, March 29, starting the second half of GSAC play with a doubleheader at Westmont starting at 11:00 a.m.