Lancers Sweep 2019, Division I Opener

Saturday, February 16

Riverside, Calif.

2:00 PM

California Baptist University

1-0

Northern Illinois

0-1

Northern Illinois

California Baptist

Photo by: Reagan Lee

Lancers Sweep 2019, Division I Opener

2/16/2019 7:55:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Win number one of the NCAA Division I era not only came on day one, but California Baptist University swept Northern Illinois in a season-opening doubleheader on Saturday.

The Lancers won on scores of 8-4 and 4-2 on day one of the 2019 season at Totman Stadium. CBU starts out 2-0 and the Huskies 0-2, with two more games to play in the series on Sunday starting at 9 a.m.

CBU hit five home runs on the day, and Luke Navigato led the offense by going 6-for-9 with four runs batted in, four runs scored, two doubles, a stolen base and a home run. Chad Castillo and Andrew Bash both had three hits on Saturday, while Rory Smith and Ryan Mota had two each.

After an 8-4 win to start things out Saturday, CBU found itself down to NIU 2-0 through the first five-and-a-half innings. Mota came up big with a monstrous two-run homer, scoring Navigato, who led off the inning with a single, to tie the score going into the seventh inning.

😱😱😱

Ryan Mota absolutely CRUSHES this baseball to tie the game, 2-2, with a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. Luke Navigato also scores after leading off the inning with a single.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/rBJt6vYUZS
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 17, 2019

Navigato stayed hot and hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the eighth to give the Lancers their first lead of the game, 3-2.

DUNK CITY❗️❗️❗️

Luke Navigato leads off the bottom of the eighth with a line-drive home run to left center field, giving CBU a 3-2 lead.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/FZFs74c1R4
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 17, 2019

Two batters later, it was déjà vu, as Mota crushed a home run over the netting in left field for an insurance run and his second bomb of the night.

Hmm, this looks familiar 🤔

Ryan Mota sends another home run over the screen in left field and very likely onto the softball field. It gives CBU a 4-2 lead going into the ninth inning.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/cGIN7BHDCq
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 17, 2019

Matt Amrhein more than earned the save by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth. Chris Burica got the victory on the mound by throwing 2.2 perfect innings where he retired all seven batters he faced.

CBU sweeps day one of the season, defeating Northern Illinois 4-2 in the nightcap. Matt Amrhein strikes out the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure the save.

The Lancers and Huskies are back at it with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at 9AM.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/noJ5zcx3la
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 17, 2019

Navigato (3-for-4) and Mota (2-for-4) both had multiple hits in Saturday's finale, while Angelo Capolupo had the sixth and last hit for the Lancers.

In the opener, CBU's first three batters: Navigato, Castillo and Bash all had three hits. Navigato went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in, two doubles and two runs scored and Castillo hit a three-run homer that helped blow the game open in the sixth inning.

🎉🎉🎉

Chad Castillo hits a three-run HR to put the Lancers up 8-4 in the 6th against Northern Illinois! #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/ZqnzYWKD0B
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 16, 2019

After the Lancers scored four runs in the first two innings, NIU tied the game at 4-4 with two runs in the top of the fifth. Smith, who had two hits in the game, started the bottom of the sixth with an infield single and Angelo Capolupo drew a walk to put two runners aboard.

Navigato came up an RBI infield single to give CBU the lead again. Castillo, the very next batter, provided the insurance with a three-run homer to left center field to make it 8-4.

Logan Rinehart and Bryan Pope made sure the lead lasted on the mound for CBU. Rinehart threw seven strong in which he gave up just four hits, two walks, two earned runs and struck out seven. Pope gave up just one hit over the final two innings to earn the six-out save.

Navigato and Castillo started the bottom of the first inning with a double and single, respectively. Navigato eventually came around to score on a double-play grounder.

John Glenn led off the bottom of the second inning with a home to left field. Smith and Billy Rockefeller then singled and drew a walk before Navigato doubled them both home to make it 4-1 CBU.

💣

After a pair of homers from Northern Illinois in the top of the second, John Glenn hits one of his own to lead off the bottom of the inning. All tied 2-2 here at Totman.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/rIEpruiSVF
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 16, 2019