WHITTIER, Calif. – Caltech Baseball faced off against the Whittier College Poets Saturday for the remaining two games of the three-game set. The Beavers split the doubleheader, dropping Game One, but winning Game Two, 3-2.
The Beavers offense was held in check for game one, only managing three hits against Poets pitcher Maximus Berber. Shortstop William Minatel (Brecksville, Ohio / Brecksville-Broadview Heights) connected for two of the hits, both singles, while first baseman Quinn Hartman (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Marina) managed the other.
First-year pitcher Lucas Favretto (Pasadena, Calif. / St. Francis) came into the game early and was solid in his relief effort. Favretto went 5.1 innings and allowed five hits, three runs and struck out six batters. In the end, Berber's heroic efforts propelled Whittier to a 10-0 win.
In the rubber game, the Beavers turned to sophomore pitcher Joseph Pieper (Palatine, Ill. / Palatine) to get the job done, and that's exactly what he did. Pieper ended up going the distance; efficiently throwing all nine innings in just 90 pitches.
Pieper went toe-to-toe against Poets pitcher Owen Moore, with the two starters unwilling to break the scoreless streak. Game two began with four scoreless frames for both sides, but the Poets got on the board first. In the home half of the fifth, Whittier scored two runs, both unearned, to take the lead, but the Beavers responded back quickly.
In the top of the sixth, Jack Fishel (Baltimore, Md. / Boys' Latin School of Maryland) started things by drawing a walk. Third baseman Mark Hu (San Jose, Calif. / The Harker School) doubled to left field setting up the designated hitter in Jack Bernhardt (Littleton, Colo. / Columbine) with two runners in scoring position and no outs. Bernhardt singled to center, but Fishel got thrown out at home to keep the Beavers scoreless, instead, it was the right fielder Thorsen Kristufek (McKinney, Texas / McKinney) who was able to cash in.
With two outs in the inning and in a 0-2 count, Kristufek sent the next pitch he saw to the moon. His second home run of the season gave the Beavers a 3-2 advantage and allowed Pieper to pitch with the lead.
Pieper continued to deal as he retired 12 of the last 15 batters he faced, earning the Beavers another win. Pieper allowed just four hits, two runs (both unearned) and struck out six batters. He gets his second win on the season and the Beavers get back in the win column.
The next matchup for Head Coach Kevin Whitehead and his Beavers will be on Friday, April 18 when they head on the road to take on the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens at 3 p.m. The teams will then return to North Field on Saturday, April 19 for a doubleheader.
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