TWO WAYS TO WIN
1/24/2008 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- Three-time All-GSAC Steve Goins gave up just two hits and struck out eight in six innings of work to lead the NAIA's No. 13-ranked California Baptist to a season-opening win over Patten on a soggy Thursday afternoon at Totman Stadium.
On a festive day that marked the opening of the Lancers' newly renovated stadium, the Lancers wasted little time pleasing the nearly 200 in attendance. They improve to 1-0 with their third straight opening-day win. Patten is now 0-1.
“The crowd was great today,” said CBU head coach Gary Adcock. “It's nice to finally be home, and it was a good opening day environment.” The Lancers played all of their 2007 home games at three different off-campus sites while Totman Stadium was being renovated.
Goins gave up just two hits and an unearned run and kept the Lions off-balance all afternoon. He left with a 6-1 lead after six complete. He allowed just a two out, line drive single in the third and then a leadoff infield single to Deandre Walker in the fifth. Walker later scored after a pair of Lancer errors.
“We were limiting Steve's pitches today,” said Adcock. “Opening day is not the time to push it. He kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win.”
Not only did Goins dominate on the hill, but he helped himself out at the plate, going 2-for-4 and capping the Lancers' five-run fourth with a two-RBI double.
The Lancers jumped on the board right away with three straight singles to lead off the first. J.P. Lapointe drove in Dominic Zuniga with the game's first run. That 1-0 lead held until the Lancers erupted for five in the fourth. Eddie Quevedo's two-run single got things started before a Patten error opened the door for a Sharif Othman sacrifice fly ahead of Goins' double.
Patten seemingly got right back into it when DeJuan Johnson hammered a three-run bomb in the eighth off Chilly Ronquillo, but Ronquillo induced Derek Luque into an inning-ending fly out, and All-GSAC closer Brandon Daily worked a perfect ninth for his first save of the year.
“Patten has some pop, and anytime you play a team with power, they are never out of the game,” said Adcock. “I knew not to get too comfortable with that 6-1 lead, because a three-run homer puts them right back into the game.”
The Lancers had 10 hits, including four doubles.
Robert Lundy was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Zuniga, Lapointe and Goins each had two hits apiece.
James Doss (0-1) started for Patten and gave up three earned runs while scattering nine hits in seven innings. He didn't allow a walk.
“We had multiple hits, but we didn't get many free bases,” said Adcock. “We didn't draw a single walk and had just the one error that led to the one big inning. Their pitcher did a good job of making us work hard for our runs.”
Game two of the three-game series is Friday at 1 p.m.
