Cal Martin Drives in Five as SFA Wins the Series against CBU

Sunday, March 19

Nacogdoches, TX

12:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

8-12, 2-4

California Baptist University

9-10, 3-3

California Baptist

Stephen F. Austin

Cal Martin Drives in Five as SFA Wins the Series against CBU

3/19/2023 5:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Colby Jackson, SFA Student Assistant for Strategic Communication

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin defeated California Baptist 10-9 to give the Lumberjacks their first WAC series win of the season. SFA improves to 8-12 (WAC 2-4) as CBU falls to 9-10 (WAC 3-3).

Cal Martin set the tone early for the Lumberjacks and took advantage of the struggling starter for the Lancers who gave up a walk and hit two batters by crushing a grand slam over the high center field wall to clear the bases and give SFA an early 4-0 lead.

The Lancers quickly answered back in the top of the second when a single and a walk were both brought in with a double and a RBI groundout. Following another walked batter which put runners on first and third, the Lancers executed a double steal which allowed the runner from third to score and gave the 'Jacks just a one-run lead.

The teams traded a run in the third inning and the Lancers struck first with a bases-loaded single to tie the game at four. After putting runners on first and second, Cole Hill retook the lead for the Lumberjacks with a RBI single up the middle.

The 'Jacks expanded their lead in the fourth inning when the Lancer pitching staff struggled to command the strike zone. Alex Rodgers led off the inning with a single, but the next three 'Jacks in the lineup followed with a walk, the RBI going to Martin who was the third batter to get walked in the inning. Tom Biggs stepped up next and drove in the seventh SFA run of the game with an RBI groundout to second. Cody Fleischer then came in to pinch-hit and drove in the third run of the inning with a single through the left side.

Two free bases for the Lancers in the top of the fifth came back to haunt the 'Jacks as a three-run homer for CBU brought the game within one run once again.

Fleischer led off the bottom of the seventh with a double off the center field wall and was later brought in from third when Cole Hill hit a hard-hit ball that the CBU third-basemen couldn't come up with, allowing Fleischer to score and Hill to get on base. Following an intentional walk to Rodgers, Nolan Brown was able to single through the left side to score Hill and give the Lumberjacks the 10-7 lead.

CBU always seemed to have an answer for the Lumberjacks when they had a big inning, and that was the case once again as the Lancers launched a two-run home run to bring the score to 10-9. However, that would be all the Lancers would have left in the tank as Reid Boyett would shut CBU down in the final two innings and give SFA the series win.

Martin had a big day at the plate as he went 3-for-4 with five RBIs which included his grand slam in the first inning. Rodgers and Fleischer also collected multiple hits as they both went 2-for-3 at the plate today.

The Lumberjacks now have a little under a week to prepare for their next WAC series which will take place at St. George, Utah against Utah Tech, first game Friday, March 24th at 7:05 p.m.