Hawks competitive versus ranked clubs

FULLERTON – The bats for the San Diego Christian College baseball team have suddenly grown silent, but you could hardly blame them after facing a pair of the best schools nationally.

Competing in the Hope International crossover tournament over the weekend, the Hawks first faced 19th-ranked Benedictine University-Mesa (Ariz.), which was making its historical triumph into the NAIA national poll.

The next day, SDCC faced Lewis-Clark State, the all-time winningest NAIA program with 19 national championships. However, the Warriors were playing with a chip on their collective shoulders, out of the rankings for the first time in years.

The combination left San Diego Christian reeling in the dust, losing to both powerful programs. On Friday (Feb. 5), the Benedictine Redhawks broke open a 6-5 contest with eight runs in the 9th inning to secure a 14-5 decision. On Saturday (Feb. 16) Lewis-Clark State took a commanding 12-2 win.

At least the Hawks (2-5 overall) proved competitive as the program begins its ascent to become a top-flight program.

Game 1

After collecting just nine hits in Thursday’s doubleheader, Friday (Feb. 5) proved not much better after the Hawks mustered just five safeties in a 12-5 setback. BOXSCORE

Benedictine (3-1) snapped an early 1-1 deadlock with four runs in the 2nd inning to pull ahead. The Hawks rallied to within 6-5, but the Redhawks countered eight runs against the bullpen in the ninth to sail away.

Hawks first baseman Aaron Hoch, a transfer from Cañada College, was walked twice. But when forced to pitch to him in the 8th inning, Hoch hammered an RBI double into the right-field corner, scoring second baseman Cade Cabral to trim the deficit to 6-5.

However, Benedictine parlayed three doubles and a sacrifice fly in the ninth. The big hit was a bases-loaded, 3-run double by right fielder Taylor Hunt. The clean-up batter went 5-for-5 with two runs and four RBI.

For San Diego Christian, left fielder Johnny Radomskiy, the leadoff hitter, reached base four times without a base hit, scoring twice to ignite the comeback.

Game 2

On Saturday,  Lewis-Clark State (3-1) followed a similar script as Benedictine. The Warriors jumped to a 6-0 lead, but when the Hawks rallied, a 5-run rally in the ninth doomed SDCC. BOXSCORE

Warriors pitchers combined on a 1-hitter, the lone safety was a 2-run homer by Dawson Pate, the designated hitter, in the sixth. The two-out blast to left field by the junior from Spokane, Wash., also brought home Radomskiy (safe on error; both runs unearned).

The contests were held at renowned Amerige Park, which recently celebrated its centennial.  The tournament host Royals are rated 23rd in the nation.

Next for San Diego Christian will be a trip to Riverside for a doubleheader against La Sierra University on Fri., Feb. 12. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m