Lancer Pitching Leads to Series-Opening Win Over Purdue Fort Wayne

Friday, February 25

Riverside, Calif.

6 PM

California Baptist University

4-0

Purdue Fort Wayne

0-5

Purdue Fort Wayne

California Baptist

Photo by: Zac Zeman zaczeman.com

Lancer Pitching Leads to Series-Opening Win Over Purdue Fort Wayne

2/25/2022 8:54:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE – California Baptist University baseball got several strong pitching performances to hold Purdue Fort Wayne to just two hits in a 4-2 Lancer victory to open the series on Friday night at Totman Stadium.

CJ Culpepper eclipsed his career high for strikeouts for the second-straight start, with 10 on the night, while Jared Villalobos threw two perfect innings in relief. It was Brett Finnel who shut the door on the Mastodons' comeback attempt in the top of the ninth and recorded his first career save in the process.

😤 LIGHTS OUT 😤

Brett Finnel comes on to pitch with one out and the bases loaded and strikes out both batters he faces to log his first career save! #LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/nyCP1CmVp5
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 26, 2022

PFW made things interesting when it loaded the bases with one out in its final at-bats, thanks to three walks. That's where Finnel came in, he struck out both batters he faced to strand two Mastodons in scoring position in the two-run victory.

Another great start for CJ Culpepper 🙌

He throws six scoreless innings and strikes out a career-high 🔟. He allowed just one hit and two walks.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/kYxlGh6Y0Z
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 26, 2022

CBU improves to 4-0 on the year, while Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 0-5. Culpepper improved to 2-0 on the season after he threw six scoreless innings in which he not only struck out 10 but held the Mastodons to just one hit and two walks.

Villalobos threw two perfect innings out of the bullpen in the seventh and eighth. He retired all six batters he faced and struck out three of them.

Jared Villalobos throws a perfect two innings in relief. He retires all six batters he faces and strikes out three of them.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/DrZeWir9VC
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 26, 2022

Offensively, Connor Clift led CBU with a two-hit game. Jake Skipworth delivered the big blow of the game with a run-scoring double, while Grady Tuohy also doubled in the game. Harrison Spohn and CJ Masciel (RBI) also had hits on the night.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
The Lancers got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. An error put Spohn on first and he stole second, moved to third after a walk and hit by pitch and then scored on a wild pitch.

Grady Tuohy doubles to the gap and then comes around to score!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/AiO9pLSbiw
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 26, 2022

Tuohy's one-out double led to CBU's second run in the fifth inning. Spohn moved him to third with a single, and then got himself into a rundown on an attempted steal of second. It gave Tuohy enough time to score from third and make it 2-0.

CBU plated a pair in the sixth for a 4-0 lead. Skipworth scored the first run with his RBI double, while a suicide squeeze bunt from Masciel brought in the other.

Jake Skipworth now has a hit in all four games and four RBI on the season.#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/2f1Mw75EYO
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 26, 2022

Defensively, the Lancers got some great plays from third baseman Mitchel Simon, including a key 5-4-3 double play and two great running throws.

MITCHEL SIMON, ARE YOU KIDDING ME❓

GET THIS MAN ON @SportsCenter NOW❗#LanceUp⚔️ | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/H7B2kVbFIW
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) February 26, 2022

UP NEXT
The Lancers' series with Purdue Fort Wayne continues with a doubleheader – CBU's only scheduled one of the season – on Saturday with a 2 p.m. start. The matchup will come to a close with a noon game on Sunday.

CBU will open the Western Athletic Conference campaign in week three when Grand Canyon visits Totman Stadium March 4-6. It will wrap up the Lancers' 10-game homestand to open the season.