Enough Cushion

Saturday, February 14

Riverside

12 PM

California Baptist University

4-2

Cal State Dominguez Hills

5-3

CSU Dominguez Hills

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

2/14/2015 4:07:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – A two-run cushion felt a lot bigger for California Baptist University in its three-game series with Cal State Dominguez Hills Saturday afternoon.

In the finale at James W. Totman Stadium, the Lancers scratched out a big insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning and held on for the 7-5 victory to take the series two games to one. It was the first multi-run win of the series.

Andy Crowley's speed all but produced CBU's final insurance run of the game in the eighth inning. Crowley smacked a hard-hit ball to second base with one out and beat out the throw for an infield single.

The speedy center fielder got a steal call from Coach Gary Adcock in the bottom of the frame. Crowley got a great jump and took second base easily. An errant throw into center field gave the senior a shot at third, too.

"I saw the ball in center and I just kept going," Crowley said. "I had to go, I was just trying to slide as late as I can because hopefully it would bounce off me like it did."

The ball was on track to beat Crowley to third, but it went off his helmet and allowed him to slide in safely. From there, Lohr lifted a ball into shallow right field near the foul line.

"I was just trying to get the ball in air and hopefully Andy could get home," Lohr said. "With Andy's speed, he can do whatever he wants."

"Coach told, 'You're tagging on anything,'" Crowley said, "so I got back to the bag and once I saw him catch it I just took off."

He raced home and worked a hook slide around the tag and past home plate, as the throw was up the line, pulling the catcher away from the plate. The fielder appealed he got Crowley, who slammed his hand down on the base and was rewarded with safe signal from the home plate umpire to the cheers of the crowd.

"I had to go wide," Crowley said. "There was no shot he tagged me, I just had to get back up and tag the plate – there was no question I was safe."

That sequence was crucial in the Lancers' win over the Toros. CBU improves to 4-2 and CSUDH falls to 5-3 at the end of its nonconference schedule. Tyson Miller picked up his first win in his first start of the season, while Stephen Carajabal earned his second save by throwing three innings in which he allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out two.

While things may not have come as easy for CBU to start 2015 as it did in 2014, Lohr said it may be a good thing the team can execute in tight games and when things when may not be going its way.

"I feel like when it gets late in the season we have to execute and we have done that so far late in games," Lohr said. "It's good to know we can do that."

While a two-run lead was big for CBU Saturday, Cal State Dominguez Hills started the game with a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Instead of piling on the hits, the Lancers took a more patient approach and looked for walks. They came in bunches.

Free passes to Zack Norris and Andrew Montoya started the bottom of the first. After consecutive strikeouts, it appeared the Toros might walk away unscathed. Far from it, as two CSUDH pitchers combined for six-straight walks, which led to five runs and a 5-3 CBU lead. Brian Ruhm, A.J. David, Jake Gallaway, John Taurinsky and Norris picked up RBIs on bases-loaded walks.

When the visitors pulled back within a run, 5-4, in the fifth, the Lancers had another response to keep their cushion in place. Lohr and Antonio Chavarria started the bottom half of the inning with singles, and a wild pitch with two outs scored Lohr for a 6-4 advantage.

A solo home run from Joshua Flores pulled the Toros back within 6-5 in the sixth. The Lancers scratched out the final run of the game to help ensure the victory.

Now, CBU is approaching a high-stakes, four-game series at Colorado Mesa next week.

"It's a big series, we are going to be playing one of the best teams in DII," Lohr said. "We are excited and ready to go."

The Mavericks are ranked fourth in NCAA Division II and coming off a runner-up season in the division. A strong showing in Grand Junction could do wonders for the Lancers when it comes to the rankings and advancing to the NCAA postseason for the second year in a row.

"They've been a great team at home," Crowley said. "It's going to be a great challenge for us, and a chance to show people we can contend with anybody out there."