Chargers Earn First Conference Win at Home
Hempe had a two run homerun Thursday. |
March 6, 2008
Final Stats
Cypress, Calif. - Cypress hosted their first home conference game Thursday against Saddleback after a disappointing conference opener Tuesday on the road. Both teams were 0-1 going in but Cypress utilized a couple of home runs for the 7-4 win. Freshman third baseman Erik Hempe paced Cypress with two runs scored and a two-run homerun.
Sophomore starting pitcher Dale Harder got the tempo going early retiring Gaucho batters in order with two strikeouts and a ground out while utilizing just 11 pitches. Cypress took the momentum into their at bat. Hempe and sophomore shortstop Tyler Marmion led off with consecutive walks. After failing to put a sacrifice bunt into play, freshman right fielder Jonathan Hurst came through in another way with a single to right to load the bases. Cypress took advantage of Gaucho mistakes from there as Hempe scored off a wild pitch and Marmion scored off a passed ball. Sophomore designated hitter Brian Burke cleared the bases with an RBI ground out to score Hurst for the 3-0 lead.
The defensive efficiency slowed in the second giving up two runs off a walk and two doubles closing the Charger lead to one. Sophomore first baseman Jordan Lowe prevented further damage with a diving save to put up Saddleback’s final out. Cypress kept the offense going in the second. Freshman catcher Parker Berberet led with a single up the middle. Freshman second baseman Garrett Leon hit the first pitch he faced for a homerun over the left field fence for two more Charger runs.
Cypress added another homerun in the fourth. Leon walked and it was Hempe’s turn to go for yard putting one over the right field fence for two more Cypress runs for the 7-2 lead. An error in the sixth led to another Saddleback run for their third and the Gauchos took advantage of yet another Cypress error to score their fourth. The Cypress defense would hold from there keeping Saddleback at bay for the three run win.
Harder earned the win improving to 3-0 pitching the first five innings with six strikeouts allowing two earned runs off four hits and two walks. Freshman Richard Hanson pitched the next 2.1 innings allowing no earned runs and freshman Thomas Hoenshell closed for his first collegiate save striking out two in 1.2 innings and allowing just one hit.
Cypress improves to 15-5 and 1-1 in conference. They have a day off before facing Riverside in a rematch of the 2007 State Championship game which Riverside won. The Tigers are 14-6-1 and 1-1 in conference coming off of a 401 loss to Orange Coast. They meet up for the first time this season Saturday at noon at Cypress.
