If they can hold on, Schreiner University baseball pitching is on target to be formidable — that's a big if.
On Saturday, the Mountaineers got solid pitching in a doubleheader against visiting LeTourneau University (Longview), but that only produced a split on the field. Schreiner won the first game 5-0 but squandered six strong innings from starter Fito Mendez in the second game.
Schreiner University pitcher Fito Mendez. |
In the first game, the Mountaineers got another big performance from Apollo Cassimatis, who allowed one earned run in five innings. Daniel Garza pitched two innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced to earn the save.
The Mountaineers got two runs in the first inning, in part thanks to an RBI double from catcher Gerardo Cardoza. The Mountaineers added another run on an RBI single by Will Vogt.
Cardoza is the Mountaineers' offensive catalyst, hitting .462 this season and has a hit in 12 of Schreiner's 13 games, including the last five consecutively. Cardoza has five doubles, 15 RBI and scored 19 runs.
Leading 3-1, the Mountaineers added two more runs in the fifth inning. Devin Hooper hit an RBI double to score Joseph DiCarlo. Cardoza later scored on a fielder's choice by Aiden Ward.
Mendez struck out seven batters in the second game but ran into problems when his defense failed him on an error. LeTourneau scored twice in the inning and then once more in the sixth. Trailing 3-1, the Mountaineers pulled Mendez for Luke Rogers, and then the wheels came off. LeTourneau added four runs in the seventh inning.
That was enough for LeTourneau pitcher Jared Schurig to dominate the Mountaineers with an eight strikeout effort for the victory.
The two teams meet at 1 p.m. Sunday in the series finale. Schreiner is 7-6 on the season.
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