IRVINE, Calif. – A few hours earlier, California Baptist University learned it is still in the NCAA Division playoff picture with the final release of the West Region rankings before Sunday's D-II Postseason Selection Show.
In their regular-season finale at Concordia University of Irvine Wednesday at Eagles Field, the 20
th-ranked Lancers knew they needed a win to remain in the playoff hunt. CBU shutout CUI to grind out a 1-0 victory on the final day of the regular season.
Ranked sixth in the final West Region poll, the Lancers will have to sit back and wait and see if they will earn their fourth-straight postseason appearance during the
Division II Selection Show Sunday at 7 p.m. PDT. CBU ends the regular season with a 34-16 overall record, 25-11 in the PacWest for third place in the conference. The Eagles finished up 22-28, 18-18.
Three pitchers contributed to CBU's shutout, with
Matt Amrhein throwing the final five innings to record his fourth win of the season. The true freshman allowed just two hits in the inning to shut the door on Concordia.
Brody Robinson earned his first start of the season and scattered five base runners over the first 2.2 innings.
Morgan Earman relieved him and threw 1.1 shutout innings, striking out two.
With two Eagles on second and third and two outs, Earman came on in relief and got a fly ball to center field to end the bottom of the third and keep the game scoreless.
CBU scored the only run of the game in the top of the fifth. DJ Porter drew a leadoff walk and an error on a sacrifice bunt put two runners on with no outs. Another sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position before a wild pitch scored Porter.
Amrhein came on with a runner on first and no outs in the fifth and quickly got three-straight outs and never let up from there, throwing 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth.
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