Bears Outslug Gaels

MORAGA – The Cal baseball team brought the lumber in their midweek match-up against Saint Mary's, clubbing five extra-base hits, as the Golden Bears defeated host Saint Mary's 9-3 Tuesday afternoon at Louis Guisto Field.
 
Cal (14-15) got plenty of production from the top of the order. The Golden Bears' 1-4 hitters went a combined 9-for-18 with eight runs scored and nine runs driven in. Cal also had a strong day with two outs going 6-for-15 with five runs driven in.

 
Rodney Green Jr. had a stellar afternoon at the plate. He was 3-for-5 with two home runs and a triple, he drove in a career-high six RBI. Kade Kretzschmar and Max Handron also collected three hits each. Kretzschmar was 3-for-5 with a solo home run, his seventh of the season. Handron was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and had an RBI single.
 
Saint Mary's (11-17) scored the game's first run when Coleman Schmidt led off the second inning with a solo home run to left field. Saint Mary's put another run on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Gavin Napier led off the frame with a solo home run to left field, his third of the year. The Gaels finished the afternoon with three runs on six hits. Jered Mettam knocked in the Gaels' third and final run in the fifth.

 
The two solo home runs were the lone blemish to starter Tucker Bougie's (4-2) strong outing. Bougie went four complete, allowing three hits, two runs, and two strikeouts.  Cal's bullpen was tremendous. Four pitchers combined to throw five innings of three-hit ball, allowing just one run while striking out seven.
 
Saint Mary's had an all-staff day. Nine pitchers tossed an inning. Taking the loss was reliever Ryan Taurek (0-2) who came in during the third inning and allowed four runs on three hits.
 
Handron led off the big third inning with a double to right field. Two batters later Green Jr. launched the first of his two home runs, a three-run shot to right center. Two pitches later, Kade Kretzschmar hit his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to dead center. Green Jr. and Kretzschmar are the first Cal duo to go back-to-back since Green Jr. and Cole Elvis did it against Utah on May 20, 2022.

 
Cal wasted little time adding to their lead. Handron led off the fifth with a single to shallow center field. Two batters later Green Jr. smashed a ground ball down the right field line for an RBI triple, his first of the year. Kretzschmar hit a single through the right side to score Green Jr. for the sixth run of the game.
 
Leading 7-3 in the top of the ninth, Handron led off the frame with a walk. Two batters later Green Jr. jumped all over a 1-1 offering for his eighth home run of the season.
 
Austin Turkington made quick work of the Gaels in the bottom of the ninth, retiring Saint Mary's in order in a non-save situation. With the win, Cal improves to 11-3 in nonconference play this season.
 
UP NEXT
The Bears will leave the Bay Area for the first time in two weeks when they travel to Salt Lake City this weekend. Cal will play a three-game Pac-12 series against the Utes at Smith's Ballpark. Game one on Friday will start at 5 PM PT and will be streamed on the Utah Live Stream.