CLAREMONT, Calif. -- The Bates baseball team out-hit Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 7-6 but fell 9-1 on Friday on the strength of a five-run second inning by the host Stags.
The Bobcats (0-5) will remain at Claremont Saturday for a neutral-site game against the University of Puget Sound beginning at 11am Pacific time.
Bates scored in the top of the first before CMS wiped away the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first and five more in the second. The Stags (8-3) made the most of their six hits, with four doubles and a home run.
Bates strung together three straight singles by sophomore Giovanni Torres (North Haven, Conn.), sophomore Jack Arend (Newfields, N.H.) and senior Dan Trulli (Melrose, Mass.). CMS starter Cameron Cash got out of further trouble with two straight strikeouts.
Trey Smith hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first off of Bates junior starter Brendan Smith (Hingham, Mass.), putting the Stags ahead for good.
CMS began its second-inning, one-out rally by reaching on an error, a hit batsmen and back-to-back walks. A single by Kevin Nakahara scored the second run of the inning to make it 4-1, and a second bases-loaded walk made it 5-1. CMS seized the early 7-1 lead on CJ Novogradac's two-run double before Bates junior reliever Alex Simon (Windsor, Conn.) ended the inning with an outfield fly.
Cash limited the Bobcats to one run on six hits and no walks over six innings, collecting eight strikeouts. Nico Mannucci tossed the final three innings, allowing one baserunner to earn the save.
Bates first-year righthander Peter Schuldt (Winnetka, Ill.) highlighted the day for the Bobcats with 3 2/3 innings of shutout pitching, giving up only one hit and one walk while striking out three Stags. Smith was charged with seven runs (three earned) in 1 2/3 innings, and Simon gave up two runs in 2 2/3 innings of work.
