After going undefeated through 13 preseason games, the Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team opened conference play by nearly throwing a combined no-hitter in a 6-2 win against Modesto at home Tuesday.
Despite five walks, three hit batters and two runs allowed, the Bear Cubs pitchers didn’t allow a hit until Modesto singled with two outs in the ninth.
Similar to Tuesday’s game against Modesto, the Bear Cubs deep pitching staff led the way throughout the preseason, posting a cumulative 2.62 ERA. Not to be outdone, the offense averaged more than eight runs per game. The result was a 108-38 run differential in the 13 games.
California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) ranks SRJC No.1 in the state and Perfect Game ranks them No. 19 in the country.
“I told the boys today that this was only the first step toward winning the conference,” assistant coach Tom Francois said. “We have eight teams to play and if we win two out of three from each, we win the conference. These are a solid group of guys, but we have to keep grinding.”
Sophomore Russell Freedheim opened on the mound for the Bear Cubs, entering with a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings in preseason. He recorded three quick outs including two strikeouts.
Sophomore Jordan Giacomini, a University of Nevada commit, took over for Freedheim in the top of the second. He entered with a 6.00 ERA in 12 innings.
Giacomini started strong with two strikeouts but lost the zone with two outs, walking three straight before hitting a batter to bring in a run. He escaped the inning after easily throwing out the runner on third who attempted to steal home.
He ran into similar trouble in the top of the third, hitting the first batter on the first pitch before another walk and a sacrifice fly to give Modesto a 2-0 lead.
After a quiet two innings on offense, the Bear Cubs got on the board with a double by freshman third baseman Caze Derammelaere followed by an RBI single by sophomore catcher Cam Duran.
Giacomini walked another in the top of the fourth but got out of the inning after a batter’s interference call on an attempted steal. He finished with two earned runs and six strikeouts in four innings on five walks and two hit batters with no hits.
“We can’t give up that many free passes,” Francois said. “He’s rock-solid usually. This is unusual. He’s usually a strike-thrower.”
The Bear Cubs kept up the momentum in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single from Derammelaere, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored on the day.
Derammelaere opened up preseason in the starting lineup before being benched after a cold start. He has since found his way back into the lineup and is batting .270 with 11 RBIs on the year coupled with strong defense at third base and shortstop.
“Honestly it feels great, but all it comes down to is putting together good at-bats and helping the team win,” he said. “Bottom line, that’s all that matters. So far we’ve been winning, and that’s all that matters.”
SRJC stayed hot in the bottom of the fifth, scoring twice to go up 4-2. Freshman outfielders Cooper Wood and Anane Wilson both drew walks and scored after an error by the Modesto catcher on a double-steal attempt. Freshman designated hitter J.T. Summers followed with a RBI sacrifice fly.
Sophomore pitcher Luke Schat, another University of Nevada commit, took over for Giacomini in the top of the sixth.
Schat dominated, going the final four innings allowing no runs with seven strikeouts. Besides a hit batter, Schat’s lone hiccup was a single to right with two outs in the ninth which ended the combined no-hit bid.
Still, Schat punched out the final Modesto hitter to seal the 6-2 win. Through 19 ⅔ innings, the most of any SRJC pitcher, Schat has a 0.46 ERA with 30 strikeouts and just seven walks.
At 14-0 the Bear Cubs are in the midst of their best start since 2020, when they won their first 14 games and finished 18-2 before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bear Cubs will go on the road and look to win their 15th straight in the second matchup of a three-game series against Modesto on Thursday before returning home for the series finale Friday.
