Seattle University started producing runs midway through Saturday’s game and pulled to within one run, but Bakersfield’s offense put together another big inning to put the game away, as the Roadrunners defeated the Redhawks, 10-5, in a Western Athletic Conference collegiate baseball game at Hardt Field.
With Seattle U down 6-2 in the eighth inning, Brian Olson (Black Diamond, Wash.) drew a leadoff walk, and Max Carter moved from designated hitter to pitcher in place of Bakersfield starter James Barragan. Dalton Hurd (Bend, Ore.) drew a walk, and Sean Sutton (Coeur d’Alene, Idaho) followed with a single that loaded the bases with nobody out.
Colin Peterson (Bellingham, Wash.) singled to right field, driving in Olson, and Newton followed with a grounder that was misplayed by the Roadrunners, scoring Hurd and keeping the bases loaded with nobody out. Griffin Andreychuk (Nanaimo, B.C.) drew a one-out walk that forced in Sutton, but Carter was able to retire the next two Redhawk batters to keep the Roadrunners ahead, 6-5.
Bakersfield (25-15-1, 12-4-1) added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Logan Trowbridge drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and came around to score on a single to right-center field by David Metzgar. Kyle Doyle (Covington, Wash.) walked both Carter and Ryan Grotjohn, with Grotjohn’s walk forcing in Joey Sanchez, who had reached base on catcher’s interference.
Chris Carns (Federal Way, Wash.) came on in relief of Doyle and forced Cody White to flyout to right field, but it was deep enough for Metzgar to score, and then Jones sent a bloop single into center field, driving in Carter with the Roadrunners’ fourth run of the inning. Carter retired the Redhawks in order in the top of the ninth to seal the Bakersfield victory.
The Redhawks threatened to score first in the top of the third inning, as Grant Newton (Bend, Ore.) was hit by a pitch, TJ Byrne (Federal Way, Wash.) reached base on a bunt single, and Andreychuk singled to load the bases with just one out. However, Barragan induced back-to-back popouts to end the Redhawk scoring threat.
Bakersfield broke through in the fourth inning as Carter drew a leadoff walk and Grotjohn followed with a single. Soloman Williams reached base on a Redhawk error to load the bases, and Carter would score the game’s first run as Seattle U turned a double play. Grotjohn scored the second run of the inning on an infield single by Ross Hough.
In the sixth inning, Landon Cray (Chimacum, Wash.) and Sheldon Stober (Kent, Wash.) earned back-to-back singles with one out, and Cray advanced to third on a deep flyout to right-center field by Olson. Hurd laced a single down the left field line, driving in Cray with Seattle U’s first run of the weekend, but Barragan was able to get the final out to keep the Roadrunners ahead, 2-1.
Mylz Jones led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and took third base on a wild pitch. After Hough walked, Jordie Hein laid down a successful safety squeeze bunt, driving in Jones as Bakersfield reestablished a two-run advantage at 3-1.
Ted Hammond (Shoreline, Wash.) came on in relief of Redhawk starter Skyler Genger (Kent, Wash.), but he allowed an infield single to Sanchez, a single to Metzgar that scored pinch runner Trowbridge, and a double to Carter that drove in both Sanchez and Metzgar. Doyle replaced Hammond and induced a groundout by Grotjohn to end the inning.
The Redhawks put together another scoring chance in the seventh inning when Peterson led off with an infield single, Newton followed with a single to right-center field, and Byrne laid down his second bunt single of the game to load the bases with nobody out. After Barragan picked up a strikeout, Cray drove in Peterson on a groundout to Jones, but another strikeout by Barragan ended the inning with Bakersfield remaining ahead, 6-2.
Barragan earned the victory for the Roadrunners after allowing nine hits, one walk, and three runs in seven innings of work. Genger took the loss by giving up four hits, six walks, and four runs in 5 2/3 innings on the mound. In a battle of the WAC strikeout leaders, Genger ended up with seven strikeouts, while Barragan struck out six batters.
Seattle University (21-21, 12-5 WAC) concludes the weekend series at Bakersfield Sunday, April 26, beginning at 12 noon. Jake Eastman will broadcast the game live on GoSeattleU.com, starting with the pregame show shortly before first pitch.