Cypress Pulls Out a Win
Hoenshell earned the win Saturday afternoon. |
April 12, 2008
Final Stats
Cypress, Calif. - Cypress faced the defending State Champion Tigers for the third time this year Saturday hoping to win the series after splitting the first two meetings. It was not pretty, but the Chargers fended off a Riverside comeback for a 6-5 home win to snap a three game home losing streak. Freshman pitcher Thomas Hoenshell earned the win improving to 3-1 pitching the last three innings in relief. He allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three.
After an uneventful couple of innings, Riverside took the lead in the third with a run off a couple singles. Cypress answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Freshman left fielder Jonaathan Hurst singled up the middle followed by a single from sophomore shortstop Tyler Marmion. Sophomore right fielder Michael Nesbitt moved both over with a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore designated hitter Brian Burke came up with a clutch hit with two outs with a single up the middle to score both and take the 2-1 lead.
Cypress put a lot of runners on but scored just one in the fourth. Sophomore second baseman Armando Gallardo started it off with a single and moved to third with a double between outfielders in right center from sophomore center fielder Dennis Gerbasi. Hurst hit into an error to score Gallardo for the third Charger run. Cypress had another shot to score when Marmion singled to right but Gerbasi was caught at home preventing the run and holding Cypress at three runs.
The Chargers went on a bit of a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth to expand their lead. Freshman third baseman Erik Hempe walked and stole second to get in scoring position. Freshman catcher Parker Berberet picked him up with a single through the right side as Hempe scored for the 4-1 lead.
Cypress found themselves in trouble in the top of the seventh. Freshman right-hander Thomas Hoenshell had the unenviable position of coming in with two runners in scoring position, the tying run at the plate with a 2-0 count, and no outs down. After loading the bases, Hoenshell struck out the first two outs swinging but let the next two batters single tying the game at four. With the go-ahead run at second, Hoenshell struck out the third swinging to get out of the inning.
The Tigers took the momentum and jumped out to the lead in the eighth off a double and two singles for the one run lead 5-4. Cypress would not give in using another two-out rally with the top of the lineup in the eighth. Hurst started it off with a single to right and was replaced by pinch runner freshman Tyler Brady. Marmion reached by being hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. Nesbitt produced the tying run with a single to center scoring Brady for the tie at five. The rally kept going as sophomore first baseman Luis Diaz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Burke came through again taking four balls to walk in the go-ahead run as Marmion scored.
Hoenshell returned in the ninth with the task of holding down the Tigers. The inning started rough with a single and a walk. Hoenshell made a smart play by fielding a sacrifice bunt to third taking out the runner there. He then retired the next two batters in a row to end the game and give Cypress the win.
Cypress improves to 23-13 and 5-8 in conference. They have a few days off before a series against Fullerton. They have split their first two meetings this year with Fullerton taking the first 11-4 and Cypress winning the second 12-11. The Hornets are 2-11 in conference coming off of a 8-5 loss to Golden West. The two meet up again Tuesday at 2:30 pm at Cypress.
