Riverside, Calif. - After dropping a three-game series in northern California this past weekend, the Golden Eagles baseball team was looking to get back in the win column today versus Doane College. But unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, they struggled to push any runs across the plate; losing both games to the Tigers 8-0 and 7-2.
Despite matching the Tigers in total hits (9), the Golden Eagles were unable to turn those hits into runs, as they also stranded a total of 13 runners on base. Doane got on the board early, with two runs in the first inning. After the first inning both pitchers settled in with only one run allowed in the fourth inning. But the Tigers broke the game open with five runs on the ninth inning, turning a 3-0 lead into a commanding 8-0 advantage.
All of the Golden Eagles nine hits came from four players. Freddy Rivas led the way with three hits, and he was joined by Matt Zurita, Michael Gonzalez, and Adrian Gardea who each pitched in with two hits.
Doane's starting pitcher, Caleb Goedeken pitched 8 1/3 innings, giving up no runs on nine hits while tallying 11 strikeouts and two walks.
Game 2 started out as a pitcher's duel, with neither team scoring a run until the fifth inning. The Tigers were able to capitalize on a Golden Eagles error in the inning to score two runs on two hits.
In similar fashion to Game 1, the Tigers blew the game open with another 5-run inning in the seventh and final inning.
The Golden Eagles, who were held scoreless for the afternoon, finally broke through for their first two runs of the day in the bottom half of the inning. La Sierra was held to just three hits in the game, while the Tigers matched their total of nine hits in Game 1.
Zurita, Gonzalez, and Gardea each had a hit in Game 2, accounting for their three hits in the game. Gardea's two RBI double broke-up the shut-out bid for the Tigers, who completed the sweep of the doubleheader and have now won six of their last seven games.
The baseball team, now 5-24 on the season, will host the University of Sioux Falls (South Dakota) this Friday, March 13. Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for an 11am first pitch.
