Cavs Complete Weekend Sweep of Simpson
BOX SCORES : Game 1 I Game 2
PORTLAND—The Concordia baseball team swept Simpson in a doubleheader at Porter Park Sunday, completing the program’s first NAIA West series sweep since the team swept Corban University in a four-game series played from April 29 to May 1 during the 2011 season.
The Cavs earned the series sweep after claiming a pair of low-scoring games Sunday. The Cavs won the first game of the day, 5-2, after the team broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Then in the second game, the Cavs’ Jason Snodgrass, Ryan Garrett and Christian Bannister combined to shut out the Red Hawks, 2-0. Snodgrass started the game for the Cavs in what was his first appearance of the season after recovering from an injury.
The Cavs’ sweep on Sunday evened their overall record at 15-15 this season, while the Cavs also improved to 7-5 in the NAIA West. Simpson, meanwhile, dropped to 1-24 overall and 0-12 in the NAIA West with the losses.
Concordia will return to action Friday, March 29, with an NAIA West doubleheader at Corban. Simpson on the other hand, won’t return to action until Saturday, March 30, when they host a doubleheader against the University of British Columbia.
Game 1—Concordia 5, Simpson 2
Neither team could shake the other in the first game Saturday until the Cavs broke out with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The game had been tied 2-2 since both teams scored two runs in the fourth inning, but the Cavs’ rally put them fully in control and Austin Hadley closed out the 5-2 win for the Cavs from there.
The seventh inning did not start all that well for the Cavs, either, as Simpson gunned down Ross Hasegawa at the plate for the second out in the inning. Blake Drake followed the play at the plate with a two-run single to left, however, giving the Cavs their first lead of the game at 4-2. Drake also moved to second on the play after the Red Hawks threw home, and then moved to third on a wild pitch during the next at bat. C.J. Watson then scored him from there as he singled to right-center field to bring home the Cavs’ final run of the game.
The Red Hawks tried to answer with a rally in the ninth, loading the bases with only one out, but the Hadley got the next two batters out to seal the win for the Cavs.
Hadley originally came on in a similar situation in the fourth as he relieved CU starter Harrison McGhee with the bases loaded and only out in the inning. The Red Hawks had scored two runs to take the lead against McGhee earlier in the inning, and threatened to go ahead by more as Hadley came in. Hadley, however, struck out Dylan Mumford for the second out of the inning, before getting leadoff-hitter Kris Warner to ground to third to keep the score at 2-0.
The Cavs answered the Red Hawks’ two runs with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning, too, with Jared Young plating both runs on a single to center field.
Hadley then shut out the Red Hawks the rest of the way to complete his third win of the season. Hadley finished with 5.2 innings pitched for the Cavs, striking out five while only giving up three hits and walk.
Offensively, Cole Shidaki led the Cavs from the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored in the game. Besides him, three other Cavaliers went 2-for-4 in the game in Drake, Young and Ryne Briley.
On the flip side, Jonathan Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Red Hawks, while Harold Adams also went 2-for-3 with a double. Cameron Imhoff pitched all eight innings for the Red Hawks, giving up 12 hits to the Cavs while striking out two.
Game 2—Concordia 2, Simpson 0
The Cavs’ defense took the spotlight in the second game Saturday as three pitchers combined to shut out Simpson, 2-0, despite the Red Hawks outhitting the Cavs, 10-8.
Jason Snodgrass started the game for the Cavs, making his first appearance of the season after overcoming an injury. The Cavs still limited Snodgrass’ pitches, though, only letting him pitch the first three innings. Ryan Garrett took over from there and preserved the shutout for the Cavs while giving up seven hits over five innings pitched. Garrett then gave way to Christian Bannister in the ninth, and Bannister closed out the shutout to earn his third save of the season.
Even with the shutout, though, the Red Hawks did not want for scoring chances in the game as they had runners on base in eight of the ninth innings in the game. The Red Hawks left eight runners on base, however, including three runners in scoring position.
The Cavs, meanwhile, did not add an insurance run until scoring a single run in the eighth, after initially taking the lead with a run in the third. C.J. Watson plated both runs for the Cavs in the game, scoring Jimmy Sanchez in the third and Cole Buruse in the eighth on a pair of RBI singles.
Watson finished the game 2-for-3 with the two runs batted in, tying teammate Blake Drake for a team high in hits as Drake went 2-for-4 in the game.
On the flip side, Kris Warner, Richard Asdourian and Eric Whisman all went 2-for-4 from the plate for the Red Hawks.
Garrett picked up the win for the Cavs after his performance in relief, while Tyler Provost picked up the loss for the Red Hawks despite pitching effectively over eight innings against the Cavs.