PASADENA, Calif. — The Caltech baseball team faced off against the Poets of Whittier College this past weekend for a three-game interconference tilt, with multiple Beavers posting significant contributions behind the plate and on the mound.

Game 1: Caltech 1 @ Whittier 11 (8 inn.)

The two teams kicked off the series with a Friday afternoon clash in Whittier, where seven different Beavers picked up at least one hit.

Junior right fielder Thorsen Kristufek (McKinney, Texas / McKinney) led the group with two while six other players notched one. The Beavers recorded eight total hits, tying Whittier.

In the sixth inning, Caltech came together to put up a run to put the group within three of the hosts. A two-out walk from sophomore third baseman Mark Hu (San Jose, Calif. / The Harker School) put the Beaver on first base before he advanced to second on a wild pitch; a massive double to center field on the next at-bat from junior left-handed pitcher Cameron McNamee (Great Falls, Mont. / Great Falls) brought Hu home.

On the mound, McNamee struck out four batters and let up three earned runs in six innings pitched.

Game 2: Whittier 2 @ Caltech 1

Caltech hosted Game 2 of the series on Saturday morning, which saw sophomore right-handed pitcher Brendan Flaherty (Narraganset, R.I. / Lake Forest Academy) register another impressive performance as he posted his third complete game of the season. The ace let up just two earned runs across his nine innings; he struck out eight batters and walked just one.

At the plate, rookie Kailen Hargenrader (Bethesda, Md. / The Maret School) and Hu tied for the game-high in hits, with two apiece. The group registered just one less hit than the visitors.

After being down 1-0 for most of the game, the Beavers tied the contest at 1-1 in the eighth inning after Hargenrader crossed the plate. The rookie reached on a well-timed single to right centerfield before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch and stealing third in the same at-bat. A sacrifice fly-out from junior center fielder Jack Fishel (Baltimore, Md. / Boys' Latin School of Maryland) brought Hargenrader home, electrifying the Caltech bench.

The home team let up one more run in the top of the ninth and could not answer in the final half-inning.

Game 3: Whittier 15 @ Caltech 5

The two groups returned to North Field 30 minutes after the conclusion of the morning game, and it proved to be the Beavers' strongest game from the plate. Five different Beavers scored a run over the course of the contest; the team connected for 10 total hits with seven different players registering at least one.

Caltech earned its first four runs in the bottom of the second to overtake the Poets, 4-3. A hit-by-pitch put McNamee on first before Flaherty singled to center field to advance McNamee into scoring position.

A single down the right field line from Kristufek loaded the bases before senior second baseman Patrick Donahoe (New York, N.Y. / Bronx School of Science) put a ball in play to score McNamee from third.

The Beavers continued showing their bats in the next at-bat, as junior catcher Edward Speer (Austin, Texas / Leander) rocketed a colossal shot over the right-field fence for a three-run homer to put Caltech up one.

Speer continued his strong game in the sixth inning as he connected for a critical single to left field to advance junior second baseman Garrett Knuf (Laguna Niguel, Calif. / Dana Hills) into scoring position after reaching on a walk.

A ball put in play from Hargenrader pushed Knuf to third before a huge double from Hu to right center field scored Knuf.

Speer finished the game tied for the game-high in RBIs, with three; he tied Hargenrader and Fishel for a team-high in hits (two).

Head coach Kevin Whitehead and the program will now focus on the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags, who come to town this Friday, Apr. 26 at 3 p.m. for another interconference showdown. Follow the action online at gocaltech.com/coverage.

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