Cal Lutheran Falls Victim to Small Ball

Hays, Rupert combine to shut out Kingsmen

Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 3:00 pm

Byron Minnich earned his first quality start of the season following Friday's outing.
Credit: Josh Martin (Brooks Institute) Hi-res image

Release by Scott Chisholm (CLU Sports Information)

SURPRISE, Ariz. - Cal Lutheran was on the other end of a shutout on day two of its Arizona Desert Classic schedule following a 5-0 loss to Concordia University of Texas. Tornados starting pitcher Scott Hays went seven shutout innings and the Kingsmen managed just five singles at the plate in the game.

Box Score: CTX 5, CLU 0 - F

Concordia (8-1) was able to get its leadoff hitters on base in five of the nine innings. On four different occasions the Tornados sacrificed the runner over to second base, and three times that runner scored.

Matt McManemin's first inning sacrifice bunt foreshadowed the Tornados strategy at the plate throughout Friday's contest. He laid down the first of five Concordia sacrifice bunts, contributing to the first and game-winning run.

Cal Lutheran created a pair of two-out, bases loaded scoring chances of its own but left the runners stranded following Hays strikeouts. His 103rd pitch of the game concluded an outing highlighted by seven strikeouts and only four hits over seven innings.

After allowing five earned in one-plus innings of work in the season opener, Hays has allowed just two runs (one earned) and struck out 14 batters over his past two starts.

The Kingsmen trailed by only three runs through seven full innings of play and were hoping to come back off a new arm out of the Tornados bullpen. However a two-out eighth inning Tornados rally culminated by Colton Gommert's two-run double pushed the deficit to five.

Concordia reliever Austin Rupert closed out the final two innings striking out three. He allowed just a ninth inning leadoff single to Cal Lutheran's Elon Goldman.

Cal Lutheran starting pitcher Byron Minnich was tagged with the loss despite providing his first quality start of the season. He went 6.1 innings allowing three runs (two earned) while striking out five batters.

Trevor Koons led the Kingsmen offense going 2-for-4 at the plate. Iggy Wagner, Nick Boggan, and Goldman contributed the other three CLU base hits.

Cal Lutheran (5-2) will take on Whitman (0-6) on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 10 a.m. Whitman fell to the Tornados 4-1 on Thursday and 6-5 earlier on Friday to Whittier.