The Santa Rosa Junior College baseball team took the second game of a three-game series against Diablo Valley, thanks to 16 strikeouts and 11 hits at home Thursday.
The Bear Cubs have now won nine straight games, improving to 29-1 on the season. After giving up only one run on Tuesday, they followed that up with a shutout on Thursday, lowering their team ERA to 2.42.
Perfect Game ranks SRJC at No.10 in the United States among junior colleges.
The Bear Cubs brought the bats out early. Freshman center fielder Cooper Wood walked and went first-to-third when he and freshman right fielder Ayden Herrguth teamed up for a successful hit-and-run. Freshman designated hitter J.T. Summers drove them both home on a two-run double, giving the Bear Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Sophomore pitcher Brice Cox started the game for the Bear Cubs and had it going early, striking out four Vikings hitters in the first two innings. Cox found himself in murky waters in the third.
A single and two walks set the Vikings up with bases loaded and two outs. The Vikings looked to get on the board, but Cox slammed the door with a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.
“That moment was really big because, you know, it jacks these guys up,” assistant coach Tom Francois said.
The Bear Cubs added onto the momentum, capitalizing on multiple Viking mistakes. Sophomore first baseman Josh Martin singled to open the inning, followed by sophomore second baseman Joe Brown reaching on a fielder’s choice and moving all the way to third on a wild throw. Freshman left fielder Shane Moran stepped up and slapped a single into left field, scoring Brown and giving the Bear Cubs a 3-0 lead.
The Bear Cubs weren’t done yet. Freshman shortstop Brett Neidlinger singled, moving Moran up to third. Moran capitalized and scored on a wild pitch, giving the Bear Cubs a 4-0 lead.
“I have a ton of confidence,” Moran said. “You have to have that when you play, and I got a ton of confidence in my guys. Everyone is gonna do their jobs, and if everything comes through, we’re going to win.”
The Vikings threatened again in the fourth. With two runners on and only one out, Cox slammed the door again, getting a
strikeout and a ground ball.
“Being here for three years definitely helps with my mental toughness. No one can beat me is the mentality I have,” Cox said.
Cox struck out two more Vikings hitters in the fifth inning, finishing his outing with nine strikeouts and only one hit in five
innings.
Sophomore pitcher Raul Valdivia took over for Cox in the sixth, going four innings while striking out seven more Viking hitters. Cox and Valdivia combined for 16 strikeouts over nine innings while allowing only three hits.
“You know, you get [Valdivia] out there and he’s confident right from the jump, knowing that he’s going to do well,” Francois said.
SRJC scored one more insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Wood came home on a wild pitch to increase the lead to 5-0.
Following the 5-0 win, the Bear Cubs completed the sweep in game 3, winning 8-0 on the road Friday. They will begin a two-game non-conference set at Porterville March 9.
