June 4, 2011

Cal-Alcorn State postgame quotes

Box Score

HOUSTON, TEXAS - Behind the outstanding relief pitching of sophomore left-hander Justin Jones and a six-run third inning, the Cal baseball team defeated Alcorn State, 10-6, Saturday (June 4) in NCAA regional action at Rice's Reckling Park. Jones (8-6), who entered the game in the second inning with the Golden Bears down 4-0, went on to pitch 6.1 innings, allowing only two hits, no earned runs, with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

With the win, Cal improved to 32-21 overall, and will next play No. 1-seed Rice, who fell to No. 2-seed Baylor (3-2) Saturday night, on Sunday, June 5 at 2 p.m. CT (12 p.m. PT). If the Bears win the Sunday afternoon game, they will play Baylor at 6 p.m. (4 p.m. PT) Sunday night.

Trailing 4-0, Cal's offense came alive in the top of the third inning off of Alcorn State (27-30) starter Troy Williams (7-6, 2.2 innings, six hits, six runs, two earned runs, one walk, one strikeout). Sophomore designated hitter Vince Bruno started the inning with a single and later scored on junior catcher Chadd Krist's two-run double to left field - his Pac-10 leading 24th double of the season. Other key hits for the Bears in the third inning was junior right fielder Chad Bunting's two-run double down the left field line after an error by the Braves' third baseman Antolin Morales, and sophomore center fielder Darrel Matthew's RBI double down the right field line.

The game slowed down considerably after the third inning as neither team scored between the fourth and the seventh inning and Jones settled into a grove after replacing Bear senior right-hander Kevin Miller. Finally, Cal added an insurance run in the eighth inning on senior left fielder Austin Booker's RBI single up the middle, and scored three runs in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly to center field by Matthews and a two-run throwing error by Alcorn State second baseman Ryan Akins.

The Braves scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth before Cal closer Matt Flemer struck out Morales to end the game.

"I thought today was one of those classic elimination games where the outcome is in doubt to the very end," said Cal coach David Esquer, who led the Bears to their first NCAA regional victory since he coached Cal to a 9-3 win over Minnesota in the 2001 Baton Rouge, La. Regional. "It was two teams playing for their seasons. I thought Alcorn State played a great ball game. I thought they were up to the challenge. But I've got to hand it to our club too, with Justin Jones coming in there and shutting down their momentum. Justin came in there when we had to have it. He gave us a chance and our offense was able to come back.

"It was a big win for us. It was hard fought, not easy. We don't do it easy, so this was typical Cal baseball at this point."

Krist was again an offensive force for the Bears, going 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI. On Friday, he was 3-for-4 with a double, triple and an RBI single. Sophomore second baseman Tony Renda added a pair of hits and Bunting and Matthews had two RBI apiece.