Bears Earn Midweek Win At Saint Mary’s

MORAGA, Calif. – California notched a 3-2 non-conference win over Saint Mary's as seven Golden Bear pitchers stifled the Gaels throughout a staff day Tuesday afternoon at Louis Guisto Field.
 
Cal's seven pitchers kept the Gaels (14-16) off balance all day, allowing two unearned runs in the fourth inning while scattering six hits, striking out nine and issuing just two walks. Ian Villers (1-1) earned the win with 1.2 innings of work while Vaughn Mauterer recorded his first career save, tossing a scoreless ninth.
 
The Bears (18-13) opened their four-game week on the road with a second straight victory.
 
Despite not firing on all cylinders, Cal's offense got the job done against its East Bay neighbor. Tied, 2-2, in the top of the eighth, John Lagattuta roped a one-out double down the right-field line. Jag Burden entered the game for Lagattuta as a pinch-runner and advanced to third base on a right-side ground ball before scoring the eventual game-winning run on a passed ball.
 
Both teams traded two-run blows in the fourth for the game's first dose of scoring. Quentin Selma and Lagattuta tallied consecutive singles to open the inning and later scored on a passed ball and fielder's choice play, giving Cal a 2-0 advantage. Saint Mary's knotted the game with two unearned runs when a Cal fielding error extended the Gaels' half of the frame.
 
After a one-out double by SMC's Jacob Talamante in the bottom of the first, the Cal pitching staff stifled the Gaels with just five singles allowed the rest of the way. Steven Zobac made his first career start in an "opener" assignment, tossing a scoreless inning before handing it over to Reuben Drogin, who struck out a pair himself over 1.1 frames. Mitchell Scott threw 2.1 innings, the longest outing of the seven Bears who saw action on the hill. Scott struck out two Gaels and didn't allow a hit, setting up Villers and Mauterer to close out the contest.
 
NOTABLES

• The Bears have won four of five games played against Saint Mary's this season. The two teams will play once more April 21 in Berkeley.
• The Bears' two walks issued marks the 22nd time this season that they've allowed three walks or less to opponents.
• Four Cal pitchers tallied two strikeouts apiece, leading the way to a nine-strikeout effort by the staff.
• Cal held Saint Mary's to a .077 batting average (1-for-13) with runners in scoring position.
• Pac-12 batting average leader Nathan Manning went 3-for-5 and reached base four times. He's batting .466 on the season and extended his hit streak to seven games and reached-base streak to 16 games.
• Darren Baker (1-for-5) slapped a single into left field in the seventh inning, extending his reached-base streak to 36 consecutive games.
• Both of Quentin Selma's hits were bunt singles, effectively beating the Saint Mary's defensive shift.

 
UP NEXT
Cal's eight-game road stretch concludes with a Pac-12 series at Oregon State on April 16-18. The action starts at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Corvallis.
 
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