| | Published March 18th, 2009
| Gaels Fall Twice Saturday at the Guisto
| | By Alex Crook |  | | SMC's Chris Murphy catches UCSB opponent trying to steal Photo Tod Fierner
|
Expectations are running high around St Mary's College Luis Guisto Field this year. Although being picked second to last in the West Coast Conference is not necessarily a good thing, the Saint Mary's baseball team is used to handling that sort of hype. Armed with some incredible talent like freshman infielder Troy Channing and preseason All-American utility Kyle Jensen, the Gaels are proving that they can play anyone.
On Friday, SMC started the 4-game weekend series against UC Santa Barbara by posting a win. But on Saturday the Gaels stumbled twice. Saint Mary's didn't make it easy, but UC Santa Barbara took both games anyway, 9-2 and 7-5.
In the later Saturday game, the Gaels and Gauchos were practically neck-and-neck until both teams' 4th inning breakout.
Santa Barbara scored 4 runs on 4 hits in the one inning alone, including a 2-run shot from infielder Robby Cummings to put his Gauchos ahead 3-2.
The Gaels made a little magic of their own in the fourth, tallying up 2 runs on 2 hits. In the inning, infielder Troy Channing doubled, bringing home fellow infielder Daniel Alcaire and pulling the Gaels within one, 5-4.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Gaels threatened with runners on the corners, hanging onto a 6-5 one run deficit. Outfielder Justin Fazio's lineout ended the inning, and the Gauchos caught their breath back, clinging to their narrow lead. From there, the Gauchos kept their pace. Final score, 7-5.
With the Saturday losses, the Gaels ended the disappointing day with a 10-6 record, while the Gauchos improved to 11-4 and keep their #25 ranking.
SMC closed out the 4-game series, 1 win to 3 losses, losing Sunday afternoon's game, 25-11.
This week, Saint Mary's hosts 2 games against Cornell before heading to Corvallis, to play both Utah Valley State and Oregon State.
|
| | | | | | | | Advertisement | | |
| | | | | | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Subscribe / Unsubscribe | | | | | |
| | | | | |  | | |
| | |  | | |
| | | | | |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA