Atherton, Calif. - The Golden Eagles baseball team dropped a 3-game series at Menlo College this weekend. La Sierra and Menlo played a single game under the lights on Saturday night, won 8-2 by Menlo. On Sunday, the two teams played a doubleheader swept by the Oaks, 13-1 and 5-0. In each of the three games, the Oaks benefitted from a big inning where they scored four or more runs to either secure the lead and/or victory.
In Saturday night's single game, it was La Sierra who took an early 2-0 lead, in the second inning, with RBI singles from John Salinas and Davron Maxey.
The Oaks cut the lead in half, after capitalizing on an two-out error and a wild pitch. But the Golden Eagles maintained their 2-1 lead until the Oaks took control of the game with a 7-run sixth inning. The Oaks scored their seven runs on four hits, as they cruised to victory.
The two teams met for a doubleheader on Sunday. Once again, it was the Golden Eagles who got on the scoreboard first with a run in the second inning. The lead was short lived, as Menlo scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning. The game remained 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Oaks struck for six runs, blowing the game open. The Oaks scored at least two runs in four of the seven innings.
La Sierra nearly match the Oaks in hit total, collecting nine hits compared to 11 for Menlo, but in turn left a total of eight runners on base. Trevor Resler and Salinas each finished the game with two hits, while Antonio Lopez knocked in the only run for the Golden Eagles, in the loss.
The final game of the series, also a seven-inning affair, proved to be a pitcher's duel. The two teams each finished with four hits in the game. But it was Menlo who took advantage of a couple of hit batsman and a couple of extra base hits, with two outs, in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Menlo's Drake Richie hit a double that scored two-runs, which was followed by a two-run homerun over the left-field fence.
Adrian Gardea finished the game with two of the Golden Eagles four total hits, with Matt Zurita and Salinas each contributing a hit.
The baseball team falls to 5-22 on the season. They will host Doane College, this Tuesday, for a doubleheader starting at 11am.
