Varsity baseball earns impressive win against SLO
Varsity baseball beat the San Luis Obispo Tigers 9-3 in a home game on March 19, battling through the cold and windchill to earn a victory in the Bearcats’ first official league game of the year.
The game began with a Bearcat error, allowing SLO to score in the top of the first inning in their third at-bat. Efficient pitching by senior Lucas Climer limited the damage to a single run. The Bearcats fought back immediately in the bottom of the first; center fielder and pitcher Jakob Wright and catcher CJ Ontiveros made strong hits that allowed Climer and left fielder Seth Maldonado to score.
The Bearcats never lost their lead after going up 2-1 in the bottom of the first. Climer’s pitching held the Tigers to only two runs total in the next four innings. Meanwhile, the bottom of the second was huge for the Bearcats, as multiple well-hit ground balls allowed Paso to bring in four runs (only interrupted by a SLO timeout during which the Final Jeopardy tune was played over the loudspeakers).
A brief third inning saw no change in score, partly thanks to the Bearcats retiring the side in just three at-bats. The fourth inning saw both teams earn a run, with SLO giving up a point due to an error. The score was 7-2 at the bottom of the fourth.
In the fifth inning, both teams again scored a single run, bringing the score to 8-3. For the Bearcats, freshman Bryson Hoier ran home for the point, subbing in for first baseman Dylan Griewank who was hit by the ball in the groin and injured after a base hit.
The sixth inning witnessed a change in Paso’s fielding arrangement, as Climer and Wright switched positions; Wright as pitcher kept the Tigers from scoring again in the final two innings. The Bearcats scored their last run in the bottom of the sixth when senior Riley Swarthout’s line drive to left field brought Wright home from second base.
A beautiful double play from Swarthout in right field during the top of the seventh was the final nail in the coffin for SLO, as the Tigers then faced a six run deficit with only one out remaining. In a classic ending, Wright sealed the deal with a strikeout, securing a 9-3 victory and a stable 1-0 record in league standings for the Bearcats. This places them in second behind Righetti. Their overall record is 8-5.
Varsity Baseball plays next on March 22 in an away game against SLO.
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