PASADENA, Calif. (Apr. 16, 2022) - Baseball. Just when you think you've seen it all, you watch another game and something new or nuanced happens. Saturday's doubleheader against the Stags from Claremont Mudd Scripps Colleges proved to be no different as the Beavers dropped a doubleheader with final scores that were wholly unrepresentative of both contests. 

In a series shortened by the cancellation of Friday's afternoon opener at CMS, the two teams squared off on North Field on the Caltech campus with the anticipation of a competitive doubleheader.  Head Coach Kevin Whitehead handed the ball to junior right-hander Steven Yee (Leawood, Kan. / Blue Valley) who took to the mound and provided a huge lift to the Beavers in Game 1.  His six innings of work, yielding three runs on only one hit, an infield single to third, more than kept the Beavers close. In three of his six innings of work, he retired the side in order and gave the Beavers the hope of being able to take the first game of the series.  Credit should also be showered on the Caltech defense, as they made several outstanding plays behind Yee's performance, keeipng the game close and within reach. 

Offensively, the Beavers put great swings on pitches and had terrific at bats.  Junior lead-off hitter Will Dembski (Pella, Iowa / Pella Christian) reached base in four out of five plate appearances, but unfortunately for Caltech supporters, he was left on base on three occasions in the first game. Trailing 3-1 in the seventh inning, the Beavers rallied to score a run and get within one. They follow this up with another chance in the eighth when the tying runs were in scoring position. only to be turned away by the Stags pitching and defense. .

But it was the ninth inning that changed the complexity and final score significantly, as CMS took advantage of opportunities to more than bat around as they broke open the game with nine runs scored in the ninth inning, leading 13-2 entering the last at bat for the Beavers.  While Caltech was able to scratch two more runs across in their final at bats, the scoreboard's final tally in favor of the Stags read 13-4 a score that was not at all indicative of the tightness of the contest through much of the game nor the dominance that Yee possessed.

In the game two of the doubleheader, senior Ryan Ruscansky (Annandale, N.J. / North Hunterdon) was given the ball. After a rough first inning in which Ruscansky and the Beavers gave up five runs in the Stags first at bat, including two home runs, it was the Beavers bats that became alive in the bottom of the second inning that led to a seven run half inning for the home team and a 7-5 Caltech lead heading into the third inning. The offense in the game was led by sophomore Darren Rhodes (Waco, Texas / Midway), freshman Cameron McNamee (Great Falls, Mont. / Great Falls) and sophomore Leo Jenkins (New York, N.Y. / Beacon). 

Exchanging opportunities in innings three through five the two teams looked like they were going to have another extremely close contest. But it was CMS who broke it open after getting back within one run of Caltech at 7-6 heading into the fifth.  Four more runs later in the top half of the sixth inning pushed the Stags back in front, a position they would maintain throughout the balance of the contest, closing out the doubleheader with a 17-7 final score.  

While the scoreboard showed that the visitors were seemingly in control throughout the day, in reality, the Beavers were more than a formidable opponent and in fact could've easily been the winner of the doubleheader.  In defeat, the Beavers fell to 6-25 (2-15 SCIAC). 

Next up for Head Coach Kevin Whitehead and the Beavers is a kickoff game of a three-game series versus the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands.  The game is scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm on Friday, April 22 on North Field on the Caltech campus.  The two teams will head back to the Redlands campus to resume the series on Sunday, April 24 with a doubleheader slated to begin at 11:00 am and 2:30 pm.   

The following week brings with it the last week of the 2022 baseball season.  After opening the series against the Tigers of Occidental College in Eagle Rock on Friday, April 29 at 3:00 pm, the two teams will wrap up their season's and SCIAC play with a doubleheader on the Caltech campus on Saturday, April 30 beginning at 11:00 am.  This will also represent the Beavers' opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of seniors who will be leaving the program this year.   

To follow the Beavers baseball program, as well as all Caltech Athletics, please visit GoCaltech.com.