Two Fours Bring Two Wins Over Warriors
Game One Game Two
(3/29/08 - Baseball) SANTA BARBARA - A pair of fours would be just an average hand in poker, but two four-run outputs provided just enough offense for Concordia to earn a sweep of host Westmont, 4-0 and 4-3, Saturday afternoon in Golden State Athletic Conference play.
Over the last few weeks, the Eagles have relied on the two-headed pitching monster of Enrique Lechuga and Dan Orlick for their weekend doubleheaders. The duo once again provided the backdrop for a pair of crucial wins that put the team back into the NAIA Region II playoff race.
Lechuga, the defending GSAC Pitcher of the Year, was brilliant over eight innings to improve his record to 6-1 and 17-2 over the past two seasons. He scattered six hits and did not walk a batter over his 107 pitches while striking out three before Mike Gonzalez tossed a scoreless 9th inning.
In the finale, Orlick gave the Eagles six strong innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk. Though he left the game trailing, the Eagles scored in the final frame to keep his three-game unbeaten streak alive.
The wins gave the Eagles a modest three-game winning streak and 9-4 record over the past four weeks since starting the season 4-7. The logjam that is the GSAC has seen the Eagles climb to a share of 4th place after Azusa Pacific swept Point Loma Nazarene and The Master's split a pair of games with Vanguard. The Eagles share 4th place with California Baptist after the Lancers swept two games from Fresno Pacific that leaves both teams 1.5 games behind the Sunbirds.
The Eagles wasted no time tying the score in the 7th as Gregg Davidson led off with a triple, then Nick Fuentes ripped the ball down the right field line to tie the score. Following a passed ball, Cody Kissell was hit by a pitch before Matt Ross moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. However, the scoring chance was not converted as both Scooter Hendrickson and Aric Weinberg grounded out.
Cameron Bayne (1-1) took over for Orlick and kept the Warriors off the board for the next two innings. Hendrickson got another chance to be the hero in the 9th inning and did not disappoint.
Kissell got the rally started with a one-out walk. He stole second after Ross popped up, then Hendrickson worked the count full before dropping a run-scoring single into right field. Gonzalez came on for the second-straight game and provided another scoreless inning of relief, this time earning his first save of the season to complete the season sweep.
Kissell drove in what stood up as the game-winning run in the first game with a one-out triple to plate Davidson after he was hit by the first pitch of the game. He scored the second Eagle run after getting hit by a pitch with one out in the 6th, then scored on a double by Ross.
Single runs in each of the last two innings gave the Eagles insurance runs that would end up being unnecessary. A pair of errors allowed the Eagles to score their run in the 8th inning. Hendrickson drove in the 9th inning run after Ross had singled and stolen two bases.
Ross was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the first game while Davidson had two hits and scored twice in the finale. Chase Moltz had another fine game with two hits in four trips in game two while Hendrickson drove in two of the four runs.
Concordia (13-11, 11-9) begins a busy week of important GSAC games this Wednesday, April 2 with a visit to Point Loma Nazarene starting at 3:00 p.m. The two teams will complete their season series in Irvine the following day.