Sunday, March 28
Riverside, Calif.
11 AM
California Baptist University
15-6, 8-0
3
vs
1
Tarleton State
8-17, 1-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Tarleton State
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
California Baptist
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
X
3
9
1
Lancers Sweep Tarleton State, With 3-1 Win on Sunday To Stay Perfect In WAC Play
3/28/2021 1:57:00 PM | Baseball
RIVERSIDE – It wasn't easy, but California Baptist University baseball secured its second Western Athletic Conference sweep of the season on Sunday at Totman Stadium.
The Lancers took a two-run lead into the ninth inning, but Tarleton State proceeded to load the bases with one out. Closer CJ Culpepper kept his calm and ended the ninth inning without giving up on a run, thanks to a strikeout and groundout to third.
It secured the 3-1 win for CBU and save number seven for Culpepper. It gives him three more over the next WAC closer and keeps him in high standing in all of NCAA Division I.
CBU improved its record to 15-6 overall and 8-0 in the WAC to remain the only undefeated team in the conference. TSU drops to 8-17 and 1-7 in the WAC.
Three CBU batters had multiple hits on Sunday. Damon Keith went 3-for-4, while Chad Castillo was 2-for-3 with a home run and Nick Plaia was 2-for-4 with a run batted in and run scored, as well. Castillo also had an amazing sliding catch in left field to help save a run in the seventh.
Jacob McCarvel and Culpepper continued to make their case as a dominant 1-2 punch out of the bullpen for the Lancers, as they closed out the final 3.2 innings on the mound.
McCarvel picked up the win to improve to 2-0 after he threw two scoreless innings. He did not give up a hit or walk and faced the minimum six through two innings, with a inning-ending, double-play ball in the seventh erasing his one blemish – a hit by pitch.
Culpepper gave up two hits, a walk and struck out three batters over 1.2 innings. He also got help from an inning-ending double play in the eighth. His seven saves are already tied for the fourth most in any CBU season, and just three off the season record of 10 set by Charlie Eckenrod in 2001. Caleb Dirks holds the Lancers' NCAA-era record for saves in a season at eight from back in 2014.
WAC STANDINGS UPDATE
The Lancers remain in sole possession of first place in the WAC standings. Sacramento State carried a 10-1 league record into its series finale at Dixie State on Sunday. Grand Canyon is in third place at 6-2 in the WAC, while NM State is in fourth (8-3) going into its series finale at Seattle U on Monday.
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Castillo got the scoring started with a solo homer in the first inning. The Texans threatened to take the lead, as they put two runners in scoring position without an out in the second inning. CBU starting pitcher Drew Necochea bounced right back and retired the Texans 1-2-3 with two strikeouts and a groundout to avoid giving up a run in the inning.
Necochea gave up just the one run on four hits and no free passes over 4.2 innings in his first career start. He also struck out three batters.
TSU did manage to tie the game, as it scored its lone run on a leadoff homer in the fourth inning. Both offenses were shut out for the next two innings before CBU plated the final two runs of the game in the seventh.
True freshman Shayne Simpson led off the inning with a triple to the fence for his first career hit in a big moment. Plaia drove in the go-ahead run with a single up the middle. He then added an insurance run when he scored on a wild pitch after a Keith single moved him to third with two outs.
UP NEXT
CBU will now prepare for a lengthy road trip, starting with its first WAC road series at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley April 1-3. The Lancers will play 11-straight road games, with a three-game series at Cal State Fullerton (April 9-11) and a four-game set at Dixie State (April 16-18).
The Lancers took a two-run lead into the ninth inning, but Tarleton State proceeded to load the bases with one out. Closer CJ Culpepper kept his calm and ended the ninth inning without giving up on a run, thanks to a strikeout and groundout to third.
It secured the 3-1 win for CBU and save number seven for Culpepper. It gives him three more over the next WAC closer and keeps him in high standing in all of NCAA Division I.
🗣 𝘽𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙂𝘼𝙈𝙀
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021
Tarleton State loads the bases with one out in the top of the ninth, but CJ Culpepper closes it out with a strikeout and grounder to third. It secures save #⃣7⃣ for Culpepper this season.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/b9olBM54Fg
CBU improved its record to 15-6 overall and 8-0 in the WAC to remain the only undefeated team in the conference. TSU drops to 8-17 and 1-7 in the WAC.
Three CBU batters had multiple hits on Sunday. Damon Keith went 3-for-4, while Chad Castillo was 2-for-3 with a home run and Nick Plaia was 2-for-4 with a run batted in and run scored, as well. Castillo also had an amazing sliding catch in left field to help save a run in the seventh.
👉 𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙮, Chad #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/5OqbD7VRse
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021
Jacob McCarvel and Culpepper continued to make their case as a dominant 1-2 punch out of the bullpen for the Lancers, as they closed out the final 3.2 innings on the mound.
McCarvel picked up the win to improve to 2-0 after he threw two scoreless innings. He did not give up a hit or walk and faced the minimum six through two innings, with a inning-ending, double-play ball in the seventh erasing his one blemish – a hit by pitch.
Culpepper gave up two hits, a walk and struck out three batters over 1.2 innings. He also got help from an inning-ending double play in the eighth. His seven saves are already tied for the fourth most in any CBU season, and just three off the season record of 10 set by Charlie Eckenrod in 2001. Caleb Dirks holds the Lancers' NCAA-era record for saves in a season at eight from back in 2014.
2⃣ hits
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021
1⃣ homer
A web game
It's just another day for Chad Castillo#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/v5HvtaVk2E
WAC STANDINGS UPDATE
The Lancers remain in sole possession of first place in the WAC standings. Sacramento State carried a 10-1 league record into its series finale at Dixie State on Sunday. Grand Canyon is in third place at 6-2 in the WAC, while NM State is in fourth (8-3) going into its series finale at Seattle U on Monday.
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Castillo got the scoring started with a solo homer in the first inning. The Texans threatened to take the lead, as they put two runners in scoring position without an out in the second inning. CBU starting pitcher Drew Necochea bounced right back and retired the Texans 1-2-3 with two strikeouts and a groundout to avoid giving up a run in the inning.
Necochea gave up just the one run on four hits and no free passes over 4.2 innings in his first career start. He also struck out three batters.
Drew Necochea has us 🔥 up!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/qb69BgK1ic
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021
TSU did manage to tie the game, as it scored its lone run on a leadoff homer in the fourth inning. Both offenses were shut out for the next two innings before CBU plated the final two runs of the game in the seventh.
🙌🙌🙌
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021
Shayne Simpson's first career hit is a triple!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/MyDx3MMfnR
True freshman Shayne Simpson led off the inning with a triple to the fence for his first career hit in a big moment. Plaia drove in the go-ahead run with a single up the middle. He then added an insurance run when he scored on a wild pitch after a Keith single moved him to third with two outs.
🔥 𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗔 🔥#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/bXMAELgEix
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 28, 2021
UP NEXT
CBU will now prepare for a lengthy road trip, starting with its first WAC road series at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley April 1-3. The Lancers will play 11-straight road games, with a three-game series at Cal State Fullerton (April 9-11) and a four-game set at Dixie State (April 16-18).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McCarvel, Jacob (2-0)
L: Baley, L. (3-1)
S: Culpepper, CJ (7)
Batting:
2B: Bryan Aguilar 1 ; Green L. 1 ; Seltzer, C. 1
HR: Rivera, K. 1
RBI: Rivera, K. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rivera, K. 1
CS: Green L. 1
HBP: Young, C. 1
Batting:
3B: Simpson, Shayne 1
HR: Castillo, Chad 1
RBI: Plaia, Nick 1 ; Castillo, Chad 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Plaia, Nick 1 ; Castillo, Chad 1 ; Holley, Reeve 1
SB: Keith, Damon 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
cf/rf
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
3b/cf
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
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RHP
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RHP
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RHP
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INF
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