Bears Rally In The Ninth To Clinch Series
HOUSTON – Late-inning heroics by Carson Crawford and Tucker Bougie proved to be the difference as the California baseball team held on to win 5-3 on Saturday night at Schroeder Park in Houston.
In the top of the ninth inning with the score tied 3-3, Crawford delivered in the clutch, doubling to the gap in left field that scored Caleb Lomavita from second. Bougie provided an insurance run in the next at-bat when he singled to left center that scored Crawford. The single by Bougie was his first collegiate bat hit.
Overall, Crawford had a stellar night for the Golden Bears (2-0). The sophomore went 3-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI, and a run scored. He also made a terrific defensive play starting an inning-ending double-play that left the bases loaded for Houston in the bottom of the third.
In the bottom of the first Houston (0-2) managed to do something it could not do the night before, getting the leadoff batter to reach safely. Houston loaded the bases in the first with three walks, however, Cal’s starting pitcher Paulshawn Pasqualotto got out of the jam thanks to an inning-ending 5-2-3 double play.
Houston starter Kyle LaCalamento did his part in keeping the Bears’ offense quiet for the most part. He went 5.2 innings, scattering three hits, one earned run with three walks and five strikeouts.
Pasqualotto went just one inning in his first start since 2021. Cal’s bullpen was strong overall, with five pitchers holding the Cougars to three runs over eight innings of work. Tyler Stasiowski threw a scoreless frame in his collegiate debut, he also struck out a pair.
Connor Sullivan had a tremendous evening, he went 4.1, scattering five hits, allowing one earned run while striking out four. The 4.1 innings pitched is a career-best for the junior. The lone blemish on his line was a solo home run by Brandon Uhse in the bottom of the sixth.
The Bears broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth when Luca Bove collected his first collegiate hit, a double to the gap in left-center, that scored Peyton Schulze from second.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the top of the seventh, the Bears’ offense struck again. Souto led off the inning with a walk, Caleb Lomavita singled through the left side and Rodney Green Jr. walked to load the bases. Crawford came up with one out and quickly fell behind 0-2 before smashing a double to left field that plated Souto and Lomavita to give the Bears a 3-1 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, a bloop shot to shallow left field fell just out of the reach of a diving Nathan Manning that plated a pair to tie the game up at 3-3. The RBI double by Ian McMillan spoiled an otherwise strong outing by Christian Becerra who struck out four of the seven batters he faced.
Daniel Colwell (1-0) made his debut for the Bears in relief of Becerra. He stranded his inherited runner and recorded two strikeouts before turning the ball over to Joe Williams who earned his first save by getting Houston’s Zach Arnold to foul out.
Taking the loss for Houston was relief pitcher Jose Toreealba (0-1) who went 0.2 innings pitched, allowing two hits, two runs, both unearned, with a walk and a strikeout.
UP NEXT
The Bears will go for the sweep when the series concludes tomorrow morning. First pitch is slated for 10:00 a.m. PT. Bougie will get the start for the Bears, and the Cougars will counter with RHP Tommy Egan.
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