REDDING, Calif. - The baseball team opened up conference play today against Providence Christian in game one of a three-game series.
Coming off a series win over D2 opponent Cal State Eastbay this past weekend, the Red Hawks won in walk-off fashion to take the first game of the series 5-4.
A pitchers duel took place on Simpson campus as starter
Eric Winchester took the mound for the Red Hawks.
Simpson scratched the first run of the game in the bottom half of the third inning.
A one-out double by Andreyes Palacious came around to score on an RBI double by
Kade Kupihea that snuck in the right-field line.
Winchester fired four shutout innings before the Sea Beggars tied the game back at one in the fifth inning after a lead-off walk came around to score.
But Simpson reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the fifth inning when a one-out double by Palacious helped set up a Red Hawks rally.
A walk by Kupihea put two aboard for Simpson when an RBI single by Gomes got by the left fielder to push across Kupihea from first base.
Winchester ran into some trouble in the top of the sixth inning as he surrendered the Red Hawks lead 4-3 after six complete innings.
Winchester's final line notched him a no-decision as he scattered nine hits and four runs over 5.1 innings of work while striking out nine Sea Beggars.
Simpson tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning as a one-out hit by pitch to Palacious came around to score on another RBI double by Kupihea.
This notched Kupihea's second RBI double of the game in the same spot as he flirted with the right-field foul line.
The Red Hawks bullpen fired three shutout innings with the combined efforts of
Eddie Avalos and
Nathan Palacioz.
A one-out walk to Palacious in the ninth followed by a pinch-hit single by
Brady Meeds pushed the winning run into scoring position.
A Kupihea walk then loaded the bases for Simpson's all-time home run leader
Logan Gomes.
With that being said, Simpson not only picked up its first conference win of the year but this marked the 100 career milestone for Head Coach Dan Tating.
Coach Tating is entering his seventh year at the helm of the baseball program as he garnished the first winning season in 2020 before COVID cut the season short.
Gomes came through in the clutch as he hit a rocket through the drawn-in infield to walk-off the Sea Beggars 5-4 to begin conference play.
Palacioz notched his first win of the year as he pitched a clean ninth inning.
Kupihea and Palacious swung the hot bats in the opening game as they both registered two doubles.
Logan Gomes also recorded a two-hit performance, but none bigger than his walk-off single.
Dominic Folks and
Brady Meeds each notched singles to round out the Red Hawks offense.
Simpson looks to take the series tomorrow as they play a twin-bill against the Sea Beggars that will start at 11 AM.
