Lancers Find Opening Day Victory in 10th Inning

Friday, February 16

Malibu, CA

10:00 AM

California Baptist University

1-0

Pepperdine University

0-1

CBU

Pepperdine

Lancers Find Opening Day Victory in 10th Inning

2/16/2024 2:20:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Mariah Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications and Digital Media

MALIBU--- The California Baptist Baseball program opened its 2024 campaign with an extra innings 4-1 win against Pepperdine University on Friday morning. The Lancers fell behind during the first inning, but a ninth and tenth-inning comeback with the help of Cole Howarth, Garret Ostrander, and Michael Carpentier ultimately secured the win.

The Waves started strong with a first-inning double that would come home off a single for an early lead as the Lancers took their time finding their rhythm. True Freshman Lukas Pirko got his first career start on the mound and was in action through 4.2 innings, sitting down five Pepperdine batters and allowing just a single run. Nathan Hemmerling relieved him and had a day on the mound, registering six strikeouts from the bump through three innings.

The Lancers battled in the box through the majority of the game but were unable to string any runs together until the ninth inning. Carpentier opened the top of the ninth with a well-placed single and a Mitchel Simon walk put two runners on for CBU that were moved into scoring position off a sacrifice hit by Gunner Antillon. Howarth stepped up with a single out and grounded to the Waves' shortstop, who opted to tag Simon allowing Carpentier to score the tying run. Ryan Delgado came in the bottom of the inning and sat down three Pepperdine batters to force a tenth inning.

With an out on the board and a pair of walked batters, Ostrander nailed a hit down the third baseline and reached first on a throwing error by the Waves that scored Shayne Simpson for the lead. Carpentier solidified the win with a two-run double deep in right field, securing a 4-1 win for CBU. Delgado closed out the bottom of the tenth with four batters and earned his first win of the year.

The last time California Baptist opened the season with a win against Pepperdine was in 2021, which turned out to be one of the program's most successful seasons in Division I. The Lancers went on that year to win a share of the Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship.

Carpentier played a pivotal role in the opening-day victory for the Lancers, sporting two RBI, two hits, and 11 putouts from behind the plate. On the pitching side, Gary Adcock's staff combined for 11 strikeouts, allowed a single run and only walked two Waves.

The Lancers will return to Eddy D. Field on Saturday morning for another 10:00 A.M. game against the University of Utah. Right-handed pitcher Jacob Wilson will start from the mound for the Lancers in his 2024 debut.