CBU Baseball Hits Homerun

MORENO VALLEY>> After making his California Baptist University debut on the road, Garett King was happy to make his inaugural appearance at Totman Stadium at California Baptist University Thursday, Feb. 9. Lancer fans were just as glad to see him, as the newly-minted ace of the team's pitching staff turned in a dominant performance to guide CBU to a 6-1 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills. The junior went eight-full innings, allowed just two hits, the one run and struck out 12. "There's nothing better than throwing here, it's your home field," King said. "I'm comfortable here, I've been throwing here all fall and winter. This is a comfort zone for me, I just come out and it doesn't matter who I'm up against. It's just a jersey with a name on it." Tyler Johnson and Brian Ruhm helped put CBU in front 2-0 in the first inning. Johnson led off with a single through the right side and then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Ruhm hit a hot shot into the hole at shortstop to score Johnson and then beat out the throw to first for a single. Two batters later, with two outs and no one on, Tommy Bell powered a ball over the right-field fence for his third home run in four games to give the eight-ranked Lancers their 2-0 lead. "We were getting leadoff batters on and putting quality at-bats together," Bell said. "Practice has been preparing myself and the rest of the team. I just feel good at the plate right now." CSUDH got on the board in the second inning with a solo homer of its own, but it turned out to be the only mistake King would make in the game. The right hander retired 12-straight batters from the second to the sixth inning. "It was just a good night, I was executing first-pitch strike really well, dictating some early contact and letting the defense do their job," King said. "They did a great job behind me and made it easy for me to execute pitches - the result is out of my control past that." The Lancers got him some insurance for King with a four-run seventh. DJ Porter started the inning with a one-out double to right center and Luke Navigato drew a walk to put two runners on board. Alfredo Rodriguez, who went 2-for-3 on the night, singled into right field to score Porter and both runners moved into scoring position on the throw home. A fielding error brought both Navigato and Rodriguez home, before a Nick Plaia single and a passed ball plated the final run of the inning and what would be the game. King retired the Toros in order in the seventh and eighth innings, with five strikeouts in that span, to crush all hopes of a comeback. Andrew Bernstein shut the door for good in the ninth for CBU, with two strikeouts in the final frame.