REDDING, Calif. - The baseball team completed the three-game sweep over the Providence Christian Sea Beggars to open conference play this weekend.
The boys swept the twin-bill in the second day of conference play as they defeated PCC 10-4 in game 1 then 7-5 in game 2.
Simpson got off to a hot start and took advantage of Sea Beggar walks in the first inning as they platted four runs off two hits.
With ducks on the pond early,
Micah Kele drew an RBI walk with the bases loaded followed by a clutch bases-clearing RBI double on a rope down the left field line by
Brady Meeds.
But starter
Garrett Brogdon fell into early trouble with walks and hits batsman as
Geremy McCollough came in relief after 1.2 innings of work by Brogdon.
However, not before the Sea Beggars tied the game at 4-4.
McCollough and
Eddie Avalos provided solid mid-relief results as they combined for 4.1 innings of shutout baseball.
Simpson grabbed the 6-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as they platted two runs off one hit and two Sea Beggar errors.
Kade Kupihea and
Logan Gomes each scored on two first and third situations where Simpson baited and stole two runs from the Sea Beggars.
Logan Gomes put the nail in the coffin in the following inning as he crushed a grand slam to pad Simpson's six-run lead.
Freshman arms
Chad Horton and
Brendan Moore closed out the back end of the game as they combined to pitch three shutout innings while just allowing one base runner and striking out five batters.
Geremy McCollough picked up his first win of the year as he threw 2.2 innings while allowing just three base runners.
The Red Hawks offense combined for eight hits.
Logan Gomes,
Dominic Folks, and
Micah Kele each recorded two-hit performances.
Gomes provided the big swing as he pounded two extra-base hits which included his fifth-inning grand slam.
Maximiliano Lopez and
Brady Meeds rounded out the Red Hawk's offense as they notched single-hit games.
Meeds had a clutch bases-clearing double in the first inning to give Simpson the early lead.
Game 2:
Simpson looked to complete the three-game sweep behind starter
Jaydon Tomas.
Providence drew first blood in game two as they platted one run in the top of the second inning.
But the Sea Beggar lead did not last long as Simpson platted two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
A one-out walk to Andreyes Palacious came around to score on a two-run bomb to left field by
Micah Kele.
The Sea Beggars got to starter Tomas in the third inning as they plated three runs to take the 4-2 lead.
Simpson chipped away in the fourth inning by platting one run on an
Alex Tolbert sacrifice fly to left field.
The Red Hawks tied the game in the following inning as a
Kade Kupihea double came around to score on an RBI single by
Dominic Folks.
A double down the left field line by
Maximiliano Lopez came close to untying the game but a brilliant Sea Beggar relay cut down Folks at the plate.
A tied game until the seventh when Providence retook the 5-4 lead as they platted one run.
However,
Brendan Moore induced a key line drive double play started by a leaping snag by Lopez as he fired onto Kupihea to escape the jam and limit the damage.
A leadoff game-tying homer in the bottom of the eighth inning by Folks tied the game 5-5.
A Lopez walk and a call to the bench allowed pinch runner
Brady Sandes to steal second base and get into scoring position.
Micah Kele provided the clutch single to right field that allowed Sandes to score from second and go all the way to third on a misplay from the Sea Beggar right fielder.
Tolbert provided the much-needed insurance run as he hit a two-hopper through the left side of the drawn-in infield to grab the 7-5 lead.
Nathan Palacioz came in the ninth to shut the door and seal his third save of the season.
Brendan Moore's heroics in the seventh along with pitching 1.2 innings of shutout baseball earned him his first collegiate win of his young career.
Simpson pounded out 13 hits on the game.
Kade Kupihea and
Dominic Folks led the offense with three-hit performances.
Micah Kele followed close behind with a two-hit performance which included his first-round tripper of the year and a clutch single in the ninth.
With the sweep, Simpson begins conference play with a spotless record and continues conference play next weekend as they begin a three-game set on Friday against Saint Katherine University down in Escondito, CA.
