It was the top of the first inning and the baseball team quickly found themselves down 1-0, and Santa Barbara City College was threatening to open the game up early with the bases loaded and one out.
Freshman starting pitcher Cassius Hamm found a way out of the jam by striking out the next batter, then getting a ground ball to shortstop to end the inning.
“He really struggled with control most of the day,” coach Nate Fernley said about Hamm. “But he just made really good pitches when he got in those jams.”
Hamm went just five innings giving up two runs while the Warriors’ bullpen finished the final four innings giving up just one run in the Warriors’ (14-6, 4-2 SCC) 4-3 win over Santa Barbara City College (10-11, 7-4 in conference) on Tuesday.
“This game was won by our bullpen.” Fernely said.
Relief pitcher Drake Pingel held the Warriors’ 4-2 lead all the way into the ninth inning before giving up one run and being replaced by relief pitcher Reece Buska, who got the final out for the save.
“I felt great, it was my second outing since coming off the injury,” Pingel said. “Towards the end I kind of got tired so that’s something I need to work on.”
Fernely was excited to see Pingel on the mound again after he injured his elbow pitching early on before the season.
“Drake was really scheduled to be one of our main pitchers until he got hurt,” Fernley said. “He’s just getting healthy so that’s a huge addition for us.”
Third basemen Zack Ferreira gave the Warriors’ the lead in the 3rd with a solo home run to center field, his fifth on the season.
““I was looking for a pitch that was up, he threw two balls and then he left it up.” Ferreira said. “I put a good swing on it and it went out.”
