THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran used a pair of comeback efforts on Saturday to defeat Pomona-Pitzer by 6-5 and 3-2 scores at "Sparky" Anderson Field. Nick DeLorenzo went 5-for-7 and provided the game-winning home run in game two.
Box Score (Game 1): CLU 6, PP 5 - F
Box Score (Game 2): CLU 3, PP 2 - F
DeLorenzo, Trevor Koons and Iggy Wagner combined for all 11 of the team's hits during Saturday's doubleheader. The trio combined for seven base hits to lead off an inning and five with runners in scoring position. Pomona-Pitzer collected 21 hits on the day but went 3-for-17 at the plate with runners in scoring position.
Despite the rest of the squad going 0-for-34 and the Kingsmen hitting .193 as a team, Cal Lutheran managed to scratch out a pair of wins. All around clutch performances by the Kingsmen staff of relievers made the difference in Saturday's outcome.
The individual performances out of the CLU bullpen paved the way for Kingsmen comebacks. Tyler Hebda highlighted this group recording the final 13 outs to finish off the weekend series.
Cal Luthern 6, Pomona-Pitzer 5 - F
Pomona-Pitzer scored all three of its runs on Friday courtesy of the long ball. That theme carried over into the opening inning on Saturday as Jason Campbell belted a three-run homer over the centerfield wall.
Cal Lutheran scored once in the second before taking a 4-3 lead after three innings. A Koons RBI-triple and DeLorenzo RBI-double were the main contributions in the go-ahead rally.
Pomona-Pitzer tied the game 4-4 in the fifth and the score remained deadlocked through seven full innings. A questionable call with two outs in the Sagehens half of the eighth put the visiting side on top.
Hitter Coleman Lukas was eventually tagged out on the play, but not before Mike Moyer scored the go-ahead run to put the Sagehens ahead 5-4. That score remained until the bottom of the ninth when Cal Lutheran rallied for victory.
Nicho DellaValle drew a full count leadoff walk putting the game-tying run on base. An infield single, hit batter, and wild pitch, all coming with two outs allowed for DellaValle to touch home plate.
Cal Lutheran had the speedy Wagner at third base with its leading hitter this season in Koons at the plate. He sent a bouncer down the line that plated the game-winning run and completed the first of two comebacks on the day.
CLU starting pitcher Peter Ciaramitaro settled down after giving up the first inning homer and lasted six innings. He scattered 10 hits, struck out four, and allowed four runs.
The Kingsmen bullpen combined to toss 7.1 shutout innings during Saturday's doubleheader. Spencer Trygg needed only six pitches to complete the ninth in game one and pick up the win in relief.
Campbell, Erik Munzer, and Mike Moyer collected three hits apiece to lead Pomona-Pitzer.
Cal Lutheran 3, Pomona-Pitzer 2 - F
Nick DeLorenzo provided all of the offense in a game two victory. A two-out, two-run third inning single tied the game 2-2. He took the first pitch offering of his sixth inning at bat over the wall, just inside the right field foul pole to put the Kingsmen up 3-2.
A leadoff single in the second and an eighth inning walk completed his 3-for-3 game two effort and 5-for-7 day at the plate.
DeLorenzo provided a lead Cal Lutheran would hold on to behind the stellar pitching performance of Tyler Hebda. He was called into action early after starter John LaMoure was pulled in the fifth due to a high pitch count.
Hebda recorded the final out in the fifth preserving a 2-2 tie and held the Sagehens scoreless over the final 4.1 innings to earn the victory. Hebda picked up his second strikeout freezing the final batter to end the game.
Sam Fox led Pomona-Pitzer going 3-for-4 with an RBI at the plate. Guy Stevens was tagged with the loss despite providing a quality start. He allowed three earned over six innings.
Cal Lutheran (8-4, 4-2 SCIAC) will host Whittier (8-5, 4-2 SCIAC) on Friday, March 2. Current CLU Head Coach Marty Slimak picked up career wins 498 and 499 during Saturday's two-game set.