The Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team took the first of a three-game set against San Joaquin Delta on the back of dominant pitching Tuesday, moving to 20-0 on the season.
The Bear Cubs pitching staff only allowed one run, lowering its season ERA to 2.15. The highlight of the day was an immaculate inning by sophomore pitcher Jordan Giacomini in the fifth inning.
Sophomore pitcher Russell Freedheim started the game for the Bear Cubs, only allowing one hit and striking out one in his two innings of work. The game began with Freedheim dropping a popup. Two batters later a second popup came Freedheim’s way when sophomore first baseman Josh Martin called him off yelling “get out of my way,” to end the first inning.
The Bear Cubs offense gave Freedheim some early run support in the second inning. Sophomore second baseman Joe Brown singled to set the table for an RBI double off the bat of freshman shortstop Brett Neidlinger.
Giacomini took over for Freedheim in the third and dominated the Delta bats. He immediately set the tone retiring the side in order with 2 strikeouts.
The Bear Cubs added one more in the third. Freshman designated hitter J.T. Summers and Martin both reached on a single and hit-by-pitch respectively. Brown worked a full count and poked a ball into left field that got down for an RBI single to make the game 2-0.
San Joaquin Delta answered back immediately when center fielder Sutter Moss took advantage of Giacomini’s only mistake, driving a fastball over the wall in left-center to cut the deficit to 2-1.
San Joaquin starter Jack Soares had the Bear Cubs bats off-balance but they continued to move the line. In the fourth, Neidlinger and freshman third Baseman Caze Derammelaere both singled. An error on sophomore catcher Cameron Duran’s ground ball loaded the bases with two outs.
Freshman right fielder Ayden Herrguth battled with Soares, running the count full before dumping a flare into right field that found a hole and brought home two more Bear Cubs runs to make the game 4-1.
Mustang’s pitcher struggled with control, allowing a hit-by-pitch against San Joaquin Delta on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 in Santa Rosa. (Nathan Kaito Morris)
“I’m just looking to win every pitch, whether it’s fighting a pitch off or hitting a line drive. Just going out there trying to win for my guys,” Herrguth said.
Giacomini continued to dominate, throwing an immaculate inning in the fifth, striking out three Mustang hitters in a row on nine pitches. “It means a lot because I was able to win for my guys,” he said.
He pitched three more shutout innings, leaving the San Joaquin hitters completely fooled by his repertoire, striking out 12 Mustang hitters in six innings of work, the home run being his only hit and run allowed.
“I have a tremendous amount of confidence when you got a guy out there dealing like that,” assistant coach Tom Francois said.
The Bear Cubs added one insurance run in the eighth for good measure. Freshman left fielder Anane Wilson doubled to set the table for a Derammelaere RBI single that made the game 5-1.
Sophomore pitcher Luke Schat slammed the door on a 5-1 Bear Cubs win in the 9th inning, taking the first game of a three game stint against San Joaquin Delta.
After a brief huddle following the win, the Bear Cubs erupted into “Happy Birthday” for head coach Damon Neidlinger. He strolled away with a smile on his face, as his icing on the cake was a historic 20-0 season and 7-0 record in conference play so far.
The Bear Cubs go on the road to face San Joaquin Delta in game two of the series on Thursday.
