The Santa Rosa Junior College baseball took the final game of a three-game series, sweeping American River thanks to 11 runs on 14 hits at home on Saturday.
After losing their first game of the season two weeks ago, the Bear Cubs bounced back with seven straight wins, moving to 27-1. They have scored seven or more runs in each of the seven games and moved their team batting average to .283 on the season.
The Bear Cubs struck quickly when freshman right fielder Anane Wilson walked, setting the table for a towering home run over the left field wall off the bat of freshman designated hitter J.T. Summers to give the Bear Cubs a 2-0 lead.
“As it was hit, I knew it was out, because he hits the ball so damn hard,” assistant coach Tom Francois said.
Freshman pitcher Lucas Hermes started the game, going 2 ⅔ innings and striking out three, but he hit murky waters in the third, allowing six runs on seven hits. He exited the game with two runners on and five on the scoreboard. Sophomore pitcher Luke Schat relieved Hermes and limited the damage to six.
“[Hermes] was catching too much of the zone, you make a mistake at the collegiate level in that area, they’re going to hit it,” Francois said.
Down 6-2, the Bear Cubs got one back right away. Sophomore first baseman Josh Martin was hit by a pitch and advanced on a passed ball, allowing sophomore second baseman Joe Brown to bring him home on an RBI single making it 6-3.
Schat restored order for the Bear Cubs and allowed his offense to get back into the game. He put up 4 ⅓ scoreless innings while striking out seven American River hitters.
“Oh man, as soon as [Schat] comes in, there’s a song that Willie Nelson wrote, Turn Out the Lights, the Party’s Over. That’s the way I feel, he’s going to shut them down,” Francois said.
Schat’s strong performance allowed the Bear Cubs to close the gap in the sixth. Freshman center fielder Cooper Wood walked, followed by a Summers single, setting the table for a single by Martin. The throw to first got away, allowing Wood to score, Summers to move to third and Martin to reach second. Brown followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Summers and bring the Bear Cubs within one.
The Bear Cubs weren’t done yet. Sophomore third baseman Tyler Nordyke and sophomore catcher Mason Cox both singled to open the inning. Wood walked to load the bases and Freshman Ayden Herrguth pinch hit for Wilson and hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Nordyke and tie the game.
The Bear Cubs stayed hot in the seventh inning, Martin singled and Brown doubled to set the table for a two-run double off the
bat of freshman left fielder Shane Moran giving the Bear Cubs an 8-6 lead.
“We all just want the big moment and if one doesn’t get it, we’re going to pick each other up. It felt good to come through for the team and give us a lead,” Moran said.
Nordyke added one more on an RBI groundout to bring home Moran. The Bear Cubs continued to pour it on, scoring two more in the ninth. Summers singled followed by a Moran walk. Moran moved up to third and Summers scored on an error on a ground ball hit by freshman shortstop Caze Derammelaere. Nordyke got his second RBI of the game on a single, bringing home Moran and giving the Bear Cubs an 11-6 lead.
Sophomore pitcher Raul Valdivia picked up the last six Bear Cubs outs, striking out three and slamming the door on a Bear Cubs comeback win.
After sweeping American River, the Bear Cubs will now open up a three-game set at Diablo Valley on Tuesday.
