Bears Handle Houston, 5-1, Even Series

BERKELEY - The Bears narrowly missed a no-hitter, surrendering a single run in the 9^th in a 5-1 win to even the series with Houston.

The Bears got five no-hit innings from starting pitcher Gavin Eddy, who has started the year strong for the Bears after redshirting as a frosh in 2024. The 6-5/220 hurler who played his high school ball for Claremont High School in Southern California, has taken the bull by the horns so far in young season, compiling a 1.00 ERA in 9 innings in his two starts.

Eddy gave way to reliever Cole Clark, a Los Angeles Valley JC transfer, who threw four more hitless innings against the Cougars, striking out 6 in a stellar effort.

The Bears struck first, manufacturing two runs against Houston starter Paul Schmitz who went 5.1 innings in the loss. The first pair of runs were scored in the 3^rd on a Cade Campbell single, a Ryan Tayman walk, an RBI single by 2B Jarran Advincula and an RBI groundout by SS PJ Moutzaridis, giving the Bears a 2-0 lead.

Schmitz exited in the bottom of the 6^th after allowing a single to Advincula and a walk to 1B Dominic Smaldino.

Schmitz was relieved by pitcher Chris Scinta, who promptly gave up an RBI single to OF Max Handron that scored Advincula and hitting OF Jacob French before the Cougars brought on reliefer Diego Luzardo. Luzardo fared no better, giving up a single to 3B Cade Campbell, which plated Smaldino and a run by Handron after catcher Ryan Tayman’s ball was mishandled, pushing the Bears’ lead to 5-0 through 6.

The score remained the same till the Cougars were able to scratch out their only run in the 9^th on Clark before the junior closed out the game with his first save for the Bears.

The season finale is scheduled for 1 pm at Stu Gordon Stadium tomorrow to close out the weeend. The Bears moved to 4-2 on the season. Houston fell to 3-2.