Lancers Pick Up Second WAC Series Win on Sunday

Sunday, March 24

Stephenville, TX

10:00 AM

California Baptist University

15-9, 0

Tarleton State University

12-12, 0

California Baptist

Tarleton State

Lancers Pick Up Second WAC Series Win on Sunday

3/24/2024 11:55:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

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

STEPHENVILLE, TX--- The California Baptist baseball team returns to Riverside with their second Western Athletic Conference series win of the year after taking down Tarleton on Sunday 5-4. Brandon Downer dominated from the mound for the Lancers, securing an improved 5-1 conference record and pushed CBU to 15-9 on the year.

Josh Paino led the offense for the Lancers as he made contact with the bat three times and picked up an RBI for a solid weekend in Texas. Mitchel Simon tallied his sixth home run this season as he ended the day with a pair of hits and an RBI. From the bump, Downer had another stunning day with nine strikeouts across eight innings of work and allowed just four hits and two runs.

Simon picked up right where he left off yesterday and launched the first pitch of his first at-bat over the deepest part of the yard to give the Lancers an early lead that would never be relinquished. Paino and Michael Carpentier drove in a pair of runs in the third inning with an RBI single and RBI double for a 3-0 lead heading into the fourth.

🌮🌮🌮

Nick Dumesnil goes oppo-taco to put the Lancers ahead 4-0!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/9qDfvGc9xQ
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 24, 2024

Nicholas Dumesnil laced a solo shot to the opposite side of the field for a four-run lead that the Texans slowly cut into with a solo home run and sacrifice fly, but it was Matthew Darr who ensured the win with a hard hit single to the shortstop that took a bounce to score the Lancer's final run of the game. Tarleton did not go down quietly, however, and managed to put themselves within one of the Lancer's lead in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs. Freshman Ryan Hetzler entered and shut the door on the Texans with four pitches for his 19th strikeout of the year.

Ryan Hetzler when it matters most: 💰#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/C5WLVGRSfH
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 24, 2024

California Baptist will hold its spot at the top of the conference standings, boasting just a single loss in conference play, while Grand Canyon trails behind with a pair of losses. CBU will be back in action on Monday afternoon as they welcome CSUN for a midweek tilt at Totman Stadium with the first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m.