BERKELEY— The California baseball team swept its doubleheader Saturday with Santa Clara at Stu Gordon Stadium winning both games in walk-off fashion off the bats of brand-new Golden Bears. Cal won both games in the bottom of the ninth inning taking game one 5-4 and game two 4-3.
With the two wins the Bears improved to 2-1 on the season while the Broncos fell to 1-2.
GAME ONE
The first game of the doubleheader was exactly what the Bears needed in response to their 13-2 run-rule loss on Opening Day. It had all the superlatives of a good win with Cal getting strong outings from its bullpen, timely hitting, and an energetic walk-off thanks to two of its newest student-athletes.
Senior
Ethan Foley earned the start for Cal and tossed three innings of four-hit, two run ball and struck out three Broncos.
Otto Espinoza was first out of the pen and turned in perhaps the best pitching performance by a Bear so far this year in his collegiate debut. The freshman went four full and allowed just one earned run on five hits and a walk while striking out three.
After the top of the fourth the Bears found themselves down 3-0, trailing for the second game in a row, but sophomore left fielder
Carl Schmidt injected life into the Cal lineup hitting the team's first home run of the year. It was a majestic blast over the centerfield wall that cut the lead to 3-1.
Santa Clara equalized Schmidt's efforts with a sac-fly in the top of the fifth to extend the lead back to three runs, but in the bottom half the Bears struck again. This time it was junior transfer
Hideki Prather slapping a two-out, two-run bloop single into right field to make a 4-3 ballgame.
Prather led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to left field and would score the game-tying run on an RBI-single by freshman
Kevin Jeon. In the bottom of the ninth it was graduate transfer
Daniel Murillo collecting a one-out double to set up Prather who came through once again, roping a walk-off double down the left field line to give Cal its first win of the season. The catcher finished the game 4-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI, and a run.
After Espinoza hung a pair of zeroes for Cal, senior
Cole Clark (1-0) took the mound in the eighth and was credited with the win, closing out the game with two innings of work allowing no runs on two hits while striking out two.
GAME TWO
The second game of the doubleheader had a quieter start with Cal starter
Gavin Eddy throwing well early, but once again it was Santa Clara that struck first scoring on an RBI single in the top of the fourth.
Following Eddy, who closed his book with four innings pitched, five strikeouts, and just one earned run on three hits and no walks, was freshman
Jett Wright who made a stellar collegiate debut. The young right-hander went 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit and a walk while fanning one batter.
Wright's efforts kept the Bears close enough for Schmidt to collect his second home run of the day, this time an opposite field blast that tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Cal took its first lead in the very next inning with freshman shortstop
Jett Kenady scoring on a wild pitch and Murillo making the mistake really hurt with an RBI double to left field to put the Bears up 3-1.
Sophomore two-way player
Jordy Lopez, who pinch hit and played right field in game one, took the mound in the seventh and got the Bears out of a bases-loaded jam on a single pitch before sending the Broncos down in order in the eighth. In the top of the ninth he was just one out away from sealing a 3-1 victory but suffered his only blemish of appearance allowing a game-tying, two-run home run to force the Bears to take their ups in the bottom of the ninth.
The top of the order came around with two outs in the bottom half. Junior second baseman
Jacob French collected a walk on a full count and promptly stole second base to put the game-winning run 180 feet away. Next to the plate was none other than Murillo who slapped his third double of the day just inside the right field line to walk it off for the Bears.
Lopez (1-0) earned the win tossing 2.1 innings with two runs on two hits. Murillo finished the day 5-for-9 with three doubles, two RBI, two runs, a walk and a stolen base.
Cal is now scheduled to play game four of the series down in Santa Clara tomorrow at 12 p.m.
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