Johnson had two hits, two stolen bases and two RBIs.
Courtesy: Rachel McDaniel
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Johnson & Co. Sweep Vulcans
Courtesy: CBU  
Release: 03/28/2012
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RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- Matt Johnson hit a pinch-hit, game-winning single in an extra-inning win in the opener, and Cole Bullard had three hits and three RBIs in the nightcap to lead California Baptist University to a Pacific West Conference doubleheader sweep of Hawaii Hilo Thursday afternoon.

The Lancers won the opener 3-2 in eight innings and then completed the sweep with a 6-4 win in the nightcap. Both games were seven innings.

The Lancers have now won seven in a row and 16 of 18, improving to 28-6 overall, 23-4 PacWest. The Vulcans fall to 6-26, 3-20.

In the opener, the Lancers had just four hits but got one of them when they needed it most in the eighth. With runners at first and second and one out, Johnson delivered, launching a ball over centerfielder Travis Stancil's head, scoring Andy Crowley easily from second.

Crowley led off the inning reaching on a Vulcan error at shortstop. After Zach Esquerra sacrificed him to second, Bullard was hit by a pitch to set up Johnson's heroics.

The Lancers had chances in the sixth and seventh, getting the winning run to third base both times, but the Vulcans escaped.

Kevin Odom gave CBU a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the third and after Hawaii Hilo took a 2-1 lead with runs in the fourth and sixth, Bullard got hit with a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in the tying run.

Patrick Smith (7-1) went the distance for the Lancers striking out six and allowing five hits in eight innings of work. The Vulcans could have put pressure on the Lancers in the fourth when they tied the game at 1-1 and then loaded the bases with just one out. However, Smith induced an inning-ending double play.

Matt Daugherty was 1-for-4, extending his team season-best hitting streak to 19-straight games. It came to end, though, in the nightcap.

In that game, the Vulcans actually took a 1-0 lead, getting an unearned run on a groundout in their first at-bat. The Lancers, though, scored two runs in each of the first two innings to open a 4-1 advantage.

Johnson was hit by a pitch, moved to second when Odom was hit by a pitch. Vulcan catcher Greg Cleary threw the ball away on a double steal, allowing Johnson to score and Odom to move to third. He later scored on Daugherty's groundout.

In the second, Bullard hit an RBI double, and Johnson followed with an RBI infield single. The Vulcans got within 4-3 with a pair of runs in the fourth against Lancer starter Jon Bengard (8-0), but Bullard drove in two more with a two-out RBI single to center, pushing the Lancer lead to 6-3.

Luke Esquerra finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Johnson had two stolen bases. Bullard also singled and was left stranded at third in the fourth when the Lancers loaded the bases with one out but couldn't score.

Bengard allowed three earned runs in six innings. He struck out five. Daugherty tossed a scoreless seventh for his third save of the year.

 


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