Huskies Battle Back From Early Deficit But Cal Pulls Away Again In Series Finale

BERKELEY, Calif. - With the three-game series against California tied at ones, the Huskies took to Evans Diamond at Stu Gordon Stadium looking for the series win.

BOTTOM OF 1
Starting pitcher Case Matter started the game with a strike, but the second pitch was shot right back up the middle, ricocheting off his lower back all the way into left field for a lead off double. After a few test pitches, Matter toughed it out and stayed in the game. A walk to the next batter and a fielding error at third loaded the bases early. A single to left field following scoring the first run of the game for Cal. Two walks followed plating two more. Matter finally earned the first out of the inning on three consecutive strikes.  The next batter sent a sacrifice fly to center however, to put another run on the board. A much-needed fly out to right field followed to end the inning with a 4-0 Cal lead.

TOP OF 2
Will Simpson led off with a line drive to second. Two batters later with one out, Colby Wallace did the same. Cam Clayton followed with a walk to load the bases. Then things got interesting. With a 1-0 count, Michael Snyder adjusted to an inside pitch and was clipped in the back leg. Starting his trot to first he was ordered back with the umpire insisting he leaned into it.  Coach Meggs immediately came out and a conversation ensued. Umpires gathered to chat, but the call stood and, to add insult to injury, the pitch was clarified as a strike. Coach Meggs showed concern again, but when all was said and done, Snyder stepped back in the box and ultimately went down on strikes. Christian Dicochea pinch hit next for Urps and, with two outs, was hit by a pitch himself which moved runners around scoring Simpson from third.

BOTTOM OF 2
A leadoff hit to deep right center sent McKay Barney up above the wall, but he barely missed the catch and the park just held the ball leaving the runner on third. A chopper to second base resulted in an out, but scored the run to give Cal a 5-1 lead.

TOP OF 3
Coby Morales got things started with a one-out single up the middle. Will Simpson was then sent to first after being hit by a pitch. AJ Guerrero came up next and hit a chopper over the third baseman that scored Morales from second for the Husky's second run of the game.

TOP OF 4
Cam Clayton led off the inning with a single to left field. Michael Snyder was hit by a pitch putting runners on first and second. Dicochea jumped on the first pitch and singled through the left side scoring Clayton. Tincher stepped up next, again with runners on first and second, and laced a double to left field that scored Snyder to make it a 5-4 ballgame. Two batters later, with Dicochea now on third, Morales sent a grounder to the shortstop that brought in the tying run!

BOTTOM OF 4
A leadoff single scored as the following batter doubled down the left field line to put Cal back on top. A walk to the next batter put runners on first and second and called for another change on the mound as Adam Bloebaum came in for Emanuels (Emanuels had replaced Matter following a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third). Bloebaum struck out the first batter, but gave up a double down the left field line next that scored the runner on second. A balk sent that runner to third and, with the infield drawn in, the next batter was able to punch one up the middle for another Cal run.  A double deep to the far right side put runners on second and third with one out. Ryan Velazquez replaced Emanuels on the mound. A much needed pop out to Clayton at short followed. With two outs, Valazquez set the final batter down swinging. Heading to the fifth, the Dawgs were looking up at a 9-5 score.

BOTTOM OF 5
Following two quick outs, the inning's third batter drove a double to right center. A walk followed to put two on for the next batter who singled to left field scoring another Cal run. The next batter leaned into a 1-0 count and drove a home run over the left field fence to open the game up for Cal 13-5.

BOTTOM OF 6
With Velazquez still on the mound, the leadoff batter drew a full count walk. A ground out followed advancing the runner to second. A double off the base of the fence in left followed to score another for the Golden Bears. With that, Bryce Armstrong replaced Velazquez on the mound and delivered a ground out and a strikeout on three pitches. The score would remain 14-5 through the next three innings with RHP Jack Enger replacing Armstrong to start the eighth and sitting Cal down 1-2-3.

Starter Case Matter only lasted two innings, giving up 5 runs (3 earned) on 3 hits with 4 walks and 1 strikeout. Adam Bloebaum took the loss and moved to 1-2. In one inning of relief he gave up 3 earned runs on 2 hits with 1 walk and 1 strikeout.

After dropping the Cal series 2-1, the Huskies return home looking to quickly right the ship with a home matchup tomorrow versus Utah Valley at 6:05 PM.