Selected from those players earning Regional recognition, a First, Second, Third and Honorable Mention team were chosen with Nick Boggan, Jake Petersen and Aaron Roth each getting the nod. All three were named to the First Team All-West Region.

After a standout year, first baseman Boggan capped off his collegiate career as a D3baseball.com First Team All-American. The senior hit .412 with 73 hits, including 16 doubles, two triples and 13 homeruns. He drove in 67 RBIs, stole five bases and scored 41 times for the Violet and Gold. Defensively he posted a .995 fielding percentage.

Landing on the D3baseball.com Third Team All-America was junior righty Roth who appeared in 29 games, a single-season record at Cal Lutheran. Roth (6-1) finished with 12 saves and a 1.18 ERA. He logged 68.2 innings, striking out 73 batters and walking just five. His opponents hit just .200 against the Kingsmen closer.

A stellar inaugural season at Cal Lutheran saw Petersen, a junior southpaw and leadoff batter, earn D3baseball.com All-America Honorable Mention utility status. In 14 starts on the hill he produced a 7-2 record, dropping a heartbreaking 1-0 decision, on an unearned run, in the opening round of the NCAA Division III West Regionals. Petersen threw 91.2 innings, striking out 73 while earning a 3.04 ERA. Offensively, he led the Kingsmen with a .444 average, which is a school record for a single-season. He connected for 71 hits with 17 doubles, four triples and a homerun to drive in 39 RBIs. Petersen swiped nine bags and came in to score 57 times for CLU. Additionally, while not pitching he roamed the outfield and overall produced a .970 fielding percentage.

The 2013 Player of the Year, Tucker White from Southern Maine, and Pitcher of the Year, Chris Haddeland from Linfield, led their respective teams to berths at the Division III College World Series this week. Earning Rookie of the Year honors was Hayden Tsutsui from Carleton. The Coach of the Year will be announced following the World Series.

Yet to be announced for 2013 are the American Baseball Coaches Association(ABCA)/Rawlings Division III All-American and Gold Glove teams that should be released later this week in conjunction with the World Series.

Release: 2013 All-America Teams
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In 2003, Elaine Benditson inspired the concept and the Cal Lutheran Scholar-Athlete Society was created to acknowledge the academic achievements of CLU athletes. The institution believes it is important to give special emphasis to those students who are competing rigorously to achieve excellence in the classroom and in their chosen sport. The Kingsmen and Regals honored during the ceremony have each proven to bring equal dedication and discipline to both the classroom and chosen fields of play.

Boasting a 3.40 or higher cumulative grade point average during the academic year, the 2013 induction class was the largest in the 10-year history of the society. The inaugural class had 36 inductees.

Of the student-athletes who participated in 2012-13, 62% (307 of 493) earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. Nearly 30% (144) produced a 3.5 or higher GPA. The total GPA for all CLU sports teams this year was 3.147. Offering 20 intercollegiate sports, 16 of those teams produced higher team GPAs in 2012-13 than in 2011-12. Additionally, during the fall semester 12 athletes earned a perfect 4.0.

Following the presentation of gifts to those inducted, a pair of distinguished student-athletes was recognized. Senior golfer and bioengineering major Chad Kimmelshue and senior swimmer and liberal studies major Cortney Jordan were selected by the CLU Faculty Athletic Policies Committee as the Male and Female SCIAC Scholar Athlete, respectively.

While Kimmelshue was in Florida competing at the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships, Jordan, a two-time Paralympian and S7 American Record Holder in 17 events, took to the podium.

Going on to be an ambassador and speaker for the Paralympics, Jordan stepped up to the microphone where she engulfed the audience with a sincere and strong message. She spoke to four phenomenal points:

1. The gift of being in the moment.
2. Passion for what you are doing.
3. Focusing on teammates and how others will remember you and how you can make others feel good.
4. Never-Ever giving up!

During her speech she also touched on the notion of cherishing differences, respecting others, assuming responsibility and having no regrets.  

Cal Lutheran attracts students from all walks of life and areas of the world. Its diversity is unique and the passion that each and every student possesses is special. For many, one of those passions is sport, in turn producing amazing student-athletes for the Kingsmen and Regals year in and year out.

Scholar Athlete Society: 2013 Induction Class
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Players are nominated by Sports Information Directors at the various schools and eight regional teams are announced each year with First, Second and Third teams as well as a Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year.

All six players honored regionally were named to All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) teams.

Earning First Team accolades were first baseman Nick Boggan, utility player Jake Petersen and relief pitcher Aaron Roth. The Second Team consisted of three CLU infielders with second baseman Garrett Smith, shortstop Trevor Koons and third baseman Nicho DellaValle all honored.

This spring, a number of players etched their names in the CLU single-season record books.

Boggan collected 73 hits, one shy of tying for the most in a single-season. Petersen finishes with 71, to put him fifth all-time at CLU for a single-season and Koons is seventh with 69 hits this year. DellaValle also broke into the top-10 for a season with his 65 hits in 2013.

Koons had 19 doubles, ranking him tied for eighth and Petersen finished with 17 two-baggers to tie for tenth in a single-season. DellaValle hit six triples, which leaves him tied for third while Petersen broke into the top-10 with four triples. Boggan launched 13 homeruns, tying him for seventh most in a season.

Petersen hit at a .444 clip, which is second in a season at Cal Lutheran with a minimum of 90 at-bats. Koons had 189 official at-bats, which is a third-place tie for a single-season and Boggan tallied 177 to tie for ninth in a season.

Boggan knocked in a season-best 67 RBIs, breaking the previous record by eight and finished the season third in total bases with 132. Petersen scored 57 times, two less than the single-season mark.

On the mound, Roth made 29 appearances, the most of any pitcher in CLU history during a single-season.

With the monster offensive year from multiple-players, numerous career records and top-10 marks were achieved as well. Koons is now the CLU leader for at-bats (573), hits (203) and doubles (55). Boggan holds the top spot for total bases (338) and RBIs (157) and finished four back of Koons with 199 total hits. Petersen boasts the highest career average (in a minimum of 150 at-bats) at .444.  

Earning West Region Player of the Year recognition was Josh Rapacz (George Fox) a junior catcher. Sophomore Chris Haddeland (Linfield) was named the Pitcher of the Year and representing the SCIAC from Pomona-Pitzer, Simon Rosenbaum (Utility) was the Rookie of the Year. Linfield head coach Scott Brosius was named the West Region Coach of the Year in 2013. The Wildcats won the West Region bracket and will advance to play in the College World Series next weekend.  

Cal Lutheran (35-9-1) played three games at the 2013 NCAA Division III West Regional, defeating Texas Lutheran 4-3 and falling to Trinity (Tex.) 1-0 and Texas-Tyler 3-2.  

Release: 2013 All-West Region Team
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Cal Lutheran served as the designated visiting team for the second game of the week following a coin toss last night. Batting first had its advantages early as CLU took a 2-0 lead, but it was a late season slump from a number of players and a pair of miscues, one offensively and one defensively, that were too much for the Kingsmen to overcome today against TTU, ending their season.

The Cal Lutheran bats were hot early with four hits that scored a pair of runs in the first frame. Jake Petersen doubled to left to lead the game off and Nick Boggan had an RBI double out of reach of a diving Sam Lane in centerfield, scoring Petersen for the first run of the game. Ramsey Abushahla then knocked an RBI single to right centerfield putting the Violet and Gold ahead 2-0.

Texas-Tyler negated the CLU output with a pair of their own runs in the bottom of the first. Two ground ball outs were followed by a single from Isaac Tijerina and a mis-played ball in the outfield that turned into a double for Kevan House, allowing the Patriots to cut the CLU lead in half. A third hit in a row came from T.J. Martin to score House with the tying run.

The Kingsmen worked out of trouble in the bottom of the second as TTU stranded a pair of runners in scoring position. But it was the Patriots who broke the 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth. A single by Billy Lirely turned into a runner on third after a CLU throwing error and when Lane laced a double down the left field line, Texas-Tyler plated the winning run to take a 3-2 lead mid-way through the game.

The Violet and Gold had a number of opportunities throughout the game. In the third, Koons drew a one-out walk and Boggan doubled to center. An 8-4-2 relay from the outfield to the plate was just in time as Koons was tagged out by catcher Cayden Cunniff for the second out of the inning. Abushahla also walked, which forced the Texas-Tyler coach to pull his starting pitcher, Tye Weber after 2.2 innings. Joshua Holley (2-0), who earned the victory, came in to get the final out of the third and went on to throw 3.1 innings, keeping CLU hitters at bay throughout.

CLU again generated a pair of hits in the top of the fourth with Spencer DuBois singling to center and Garrett Smith executing a hit-and-run with a pop-up that landed between in the outfield grass between the left fielder, shortstop and second baseman. Unfortunately, one of two innings ending double-plays for the Patriots concluded the frame for CLU.

A two-out Cal Lutheran rally in the seventh got started with a single from Koons. Boggan followed with a double to the right centerfield gap with an opportunity to drive in the tying run as the ball trickled past Lirely, the diving right fielder, but Koons missed the bag at second and had to go back before advancing to third, taking away the chance to score on the play. A ground ball ended the threat.

Petersen was the only other base runner the Kingsmen had today after a one-out single in the ninth. The game ended on a 1-6-3 double play for Texas-Tyler as Derek Miller locked up his 16^th save of the season.

Scott Peters worked out of a jam in the fifth as TTU made some more noise at the plate. The CLU sophomore got a fly ball and a strike out for two quick outs before back-to-back singles from the seventh and eighth batters. Peters forced a foul pop-up to DuBois to keep it a one-run game. He retired the side in order in the sixth and after a leadoff single in the seventh handed the ball to Cal Lutheran closer Aaron Roth who sat down six of the seven batters he faced with a pair of strike outs. Of his 20 pitches, 15 went for strikes today.

Suffering his only loss of the season, Peters (8-1) tossed 6.0 innings, allowing 11 hits and three runs, all earned, while striking out two.

In the final collegiate game of his career Boggan went 3-for-4 with a trio of doubles. Abushahla and Petersen had two hits apiece as well. Joining DuBois, Koons and Smith with a hit was Kevin Leonard.

Texas-Tyler collected 12 hits with Cunniff, House, Lane, Lirely and Martin recording two apiece. Three different players had RBIs and three different players scored.

Cal Lutheran (35-9-1) concludes the spring tied, with the 1990 and 1997 teams, for the second most wins in a season. The Kingsmen bid farewell to eight seniors, Boggan, Koons, Leonard,  Smith, Ronnie Burton, Nick DeLorenzo, John Leal and Mike Vinyard.

Box Score: TTU 3, CLU 2
Regional Website: West Regional Tournament Information
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The Kingsmen took a 4-0 advantage and staved off a late comeback effort by TLU to advance. Tyler Hebda (9-3)threw a perfect game through four innings and after going 6.2 innings, scattering five hits and walking just one with two strikeouts, was lifted with the lead as he earned the win. Kevin Leonard drove in the ultimate game winning run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly that scored Trevor Koons.

As the designated visiting team, Cal Lutheran batted first and though they forced TLU starter Aaron Aleman to throw 21 pitches, drawing a pair of walks, they were unable to put up a crooked number.

An inning later in the top of the second CLU struck first with a pair of runs on a two-RBI double from Jake Petersen. Leonardgot the start in right field and drew a four-pitch leadoff walk. Ramsey Abushahla was hit by a pitch and Spencer DuBois layed down a great sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position for Petersen.

The Kingsmen added to their lead in the top of the third on a 400-foot solo shot to right field from first baseman Nick Boggan. When Leonard followed with a single to right field, Aleman (9-6) was knocked out of the game after just 2.2 innings, being tagged with the loss.

CLU scored their fourth, final and ultimate game-winning run in the top of the fifth. Koonsbattled to a single on the eighth pitch of his at-bat to lead the inning off. Boggan was hit by a pitch and Nick DeLorenzo nearly drew a walk showing bunt. He did eventually get a strike and used the sacrifice to move the runners to second and third. Leonard quickly lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, plating Koons to put CLU on top 4-0. Abushahla was hit by a pitch as well and after DuBois singled to shortstop to load the bases, Dwayne Snyder was pulled from the game after 2.0 innings and Thomas Harwell took over.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs found their way onto the scoreboard. Klaus Bohrmann led off with a double to centerfield, but was gunned down at third base by Koons when Derek Kanas hit into a fielder’s choice. Kanas stole second and came in to score on a single from Ryan Hill. Zach Jacobs also singled and Mason Briscoe walked to load the bases. A quick visit to the mound by head coach Marty Slimak gave the CLU startera minute to regroup before he forced a ground ball back to the mound for the final out of the frame via a flip to Boggan at first.

Following a 1-2-3 sixth inning by Hebda and a pair of quick ground ball outs to start the bottom of the seventh, TLU punched back-to-back singles, knocking Hebda from the hill. CLU closer Aaron Roth came in from the bullpen, to break the CLU record for single season appearances with 28, and got a fly ball on the second pitch he threw to end the inning.

While CLU was unable to produce in innings 6-8, going nine up, nine down, Texas Lutheran made a late push with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Bulldogs collected four straight hits with the final one a two-RBI single to centerfield from Kanas, scoring Jennings Boothe and Christian DeBlanc.

The Kingsmen also set the stage for more offense in the top of the ninth with DellaValle blooping a single to shallow right field with one out to start it. Koons then doubled off the right field fence, three feet short of a homerun, to put a pair in scoring position. TLU opted to intentionally walk Boggan, but a double-play ended the threat.

In the bottom of the ninth, Roth got a 1-2-3 inning with a ground ball to Boggan, a ground ball to Koons at shortstop and a fly ball to centerfield. Despite allowing a pair of runs, Roth earned his 12^th save of the spring, as he celebrated his 21^st birthday.

Defensively, CLU shined. DellaValle made a great play in the first inning on a ball deep in the hole between third and short and finished with a putout and two assists. Koons came up with a trio of nice plays in the opening two frames and turned in a one putout, seven assist day in the field. Boggan finished with 16 touches at first base.

Koons was the only CLU batter with a multi-hit game as the Kingsmen were held to just seven hits.

Texas Lutheran finished with nine hits as Bohrmann, Hill and Jacobs had two hits apiece. TLU used four pitchers in the game today. The Bulldogs season comes to an end after producing a 33-14 record. They lost 2-0 to Linfield to open the tournament on Wednesday.

Though it was a day late, the Kingsmen had more than just a baseball game to celebrate with a trio of birthdays in the last 48 hours (Koons and Slimak yesterday) and a graduation ceremony following the game.

George Petersen, Dean of the Graduate School of Education at Cal Lutheran, conducted a graduation ceremony for the eight senior baseball players. Dressed in caps and gowns, the Kingsmen conducted a processional through a bat-tunnel created by their teammates to the traditional graduation song. After Petersen spoke and showed a video from CLU President Chris Kimball, Koons made a keynote speech and the players accepted mock diplomas from Petersen with help from James Koons.

Cal Lutheran (35-8-1) will play Texas-Tyler tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. (PST) in another elimination game. Texas-Tyler defeated Pomona-Pitzer 4-3 in 11 innings on Wednesday and lost 4-2 to Trinity (Tex.) today. Live Stats will be available for the game.   

Box Score: CLU 4, TLU 3
Regional Website: West Regional Tournament Information
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

The lone run in a pitcher’s duel was scored in the top of the seventh inning in a scoreless game. A routine double to left field turned into a disastrous play for the Kingsmen who committed a pair of errors, allowing Kelly Woodruff to dive home with the winning run.

Trinity starting pitcher Ryan Lucero (10-1) threw a 107-pitch complete game, striking out seven, while the Kingsmen collected just six hits. CLU starter Jake Petersen (7-2) was tagged with the loss after throwing 109 pitches over 8.1 innings, striking out one and allowing no earned runs on seven hits. Cal Lutheran closer Aaron Roth got the final two outs of the ninth with a fly ball and strike out on a full count after TU leadoff man Connor Moore fouled off a number of pitches. Eleven of his 16 pitches were for strikes today.

The Kingsmen were able to get the leadoff man on base in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to find a rhythm or gain momentum.

The six Cal Lutheran hits came from six different players. Nick DeLorenzo collected the first base knock of the game with one out in the bottom of the second inning, but was picked off before the inning ended. Spencer DuBois singled with two outs in the third. To start the bottom of the fourth Nicho DellaValle nearly took off Lucero’s head with a line drive up the middle. Ramsey Abushahla doubled to right to lead off the fifth and set up the Kingsmen for a big inning, but he was called out on a close play at third trying to stretch the two-bagger into a triple.  Garrett Smith hit a single up the middle to start the sixth but was caught trying to steal on another close call on the bases. Trevor Koons singled as the first man up in the seventh and moved to second on a throwing error. He advanced 90 feet on a ground ball to the right side, but was stranded on third.

Petersen retired the first seven batters he faced. After a walk in the third, an uncharacteristic error from Nick Boggan on a throw to second on a fielder’s choice allowed Woodruff to reach and put runners at first and second. A single from Moore loaded the bases and Boggan bounced back with a heads up 3-2 putout to DuBois to eliminate the lead runner for the second out of the inning at the plate. Petersen forced a fly ball to left field to end the frame with the bases loaded.

In the sixth, CLU got out of another jam. Back-to-back hits led off the inning. A fly ball to shallow right field dropped just in front of Abushahla, who fired a strike to DuBois, who did a phenomenal job of blocking the plate, to throw out the lead runner and keep the game scoreless.

DuBois also threw out Kevin Clements trying to steal third in the top of the seventh inning. With one on in the ninth and no one out, DuBois fielded a sacrifice bunt and threw out the lead runner on another great defensive play by the sophomore backstop.

Cal Lutheran (34-8-1) will play Texas Lutheran (33-13) tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. CST in the Second Round of the NCAA West Regional tournament in an elimination game. TLU is playing in its fourth NCAA Division III Baseball Championship and was the West Region runner-up in both 2005 and 2006. Today they lost to Linfield 2-0 in the opening game of the tournament.  Live Stats will be available for the game.   

Box Score: TU 1, CLU 0
Regional Website: West Regional Tournament Information
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Cal Lutheran continues to boast a country-leading team batting average of .360. The Kingsmen are second in hits (544) and on base percentage (.436). CLU has the third most runs in the nation with 396 and is third with 111 doubles and 26 triples. The Kingsmen are fifth in slugging percentage (.504) as well.

Nick Boggan is second in the country with 65 RBIs and 12 homeruns and is third in total bases (122). He is also 15^th in slugging percentage (.722). Jake Petersen holds the fifth best batting average (.466) and is ninth in runs scored (56). He is also14^th in hits with 68. Nicho DellaValle is currently 16^th with six triples. Spencer DuBois has 10 sacrifice bunts, which is 19^th in the nation.

The pitching staff is led by Aaron Roth who holds a national leading WHIP of .75. He is second in strikeout-to-walk ration at 14, fifth with an ERA of 0.99 and eighth with 10 saves. Tyler Hebda is ninth with nine victories. Scott Peters and Jake Petersen have seven wins apiece for CLU this spring.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) enters the playoffs in one of the toughest brackets in the nation with four top-30 teams. Linfield (34-6) boasts the number one ranking with Trinity (Tex.) (36-7), CLU’s opening round opponent, ranked third. Texas-Tyler holds the No. 17 spot.

The Kingsmen and Tigers will take the field on Wednesday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. (PST) in the First Round. Both live stats and a live video broadcast from Trinity will be available online.

Poll: ABCA Poll – May 14
Regional Website: West Regional Tournament Information
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

The spring began with 439 baseball teams participating in the NCAA. The field is down to 56 teams competing in a double-elimination format tournament at eight regional sites beginning on Wednesday, May 15. Play will continue through Saturday for the six-team pods and through Sunday for the eight-team pods.

With four ranked teams, including three of the top-6 schools from the May 7 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Poll, the West Region bracket is one of the toughest in the country.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) enters the tournament, hosted by Concordia University Texas at Tornado Field, as the second seed behind national leader and top seeded, No. 1 Linfield (Ore.). Rounding out the pod as the number 3-6 seeds are No. 17 Texas-Tyler, Pomona-Pitzer, No. 3 Trinity (Tex.) and Texas Lutheran, respectively.

The Kingsmen will face Trinity (36-7) in a First Round game scheduled for Wednesday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. (PST). Both live stats and a live video broadcast from Trinity will be available online.

CLU and TU have never met on the diamond. This year Trinity won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Championships and returns to the Postseason for the fourth consecutive year and eighth time in program history.

Cal Lutheran is back in the Postseason for the first time since receiving an at-large Pool C bid in 2009. CLU has appeared in 12 West Regionals, including 2013, and has advanced to play in the College World Series five times. In both 1996 and 1992 the Kingsmen was runner-up. Most recently, the Violet and Gold took the field on the largest stage in 1999, finishing third.

CLU earned an automatic bid by winning the Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament.

Overall 38 conferences qualified via automatic qualification (AQ) and are considered Pool A. Joining CLU and Trinity in Austin, Tex. as AQ teams are Linfield (Northwest Conference) and Texas-Tyler (American Southwest Conference).

Pool B is made up of independent schools and schools that are members of conferences that do not meet the requirements for an AQ. Four teams earned Pool B bids this spring.

The remaining 14 berths were reserved for Pool C, which are schools from AQ conferences that were not the conference champion and any remaining Pool B teams. Both Pomona-Pitzer and Texas Lutheran were Pool C selections.

SCIAC rival, Pomona-Pitzer fell to Cal Lutheran in the SCIAC Post Season Tournament, but jumped in the regional poll to earn a chance to play in Texas.

The eight regional sites are at Rhodes (Tenn.), Concordia (Tex.), Augustana (Ill.), Wisconsin-White Water (Wis.), Misericordia (Pa.), ECAC (Harwich, Mass.), Ithaca (N.Y.) and Rose-Hulman Insititute of Technology (Ind.). The eight winners will meet at Fox Cities Stadium from May 24-28 for another double-elimination formatted tournament with the final team standing named National Champions.

A year ago Marietta defeated Wheaton (Mass.) 7-2 to win the sixth national title in school history. Marietta enters the playoffs as the number two seed in the Rose-Hulman bracket.

Release: 2013 NCAA Baseball Tournament
Regional Website: West Regional Tournament Information
Playoff Central: D3baseball.com Tournament Central
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Headlining the awards was Jake Petersen who was unanimously voted as the Player of the Year. In addition, the junior was named the Newcomer of the Year as the accolade was added for the first time in league history. Aaron Roth was named the SCIAC Pitcher of the Year.

Notching First Team honors were Nick Boggan, Nicho DellaValle and Trevor Koons while Spencer DuBois, Tyler Hebda, Scott Peters and Garrett Smith all landed on the Second Team.

Seven of those players earned conference recognition for the first time.

The number of Kingsmen honored is a testament to the success that CLU had this spring. America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) No. 6 Cal Lutheran boasts the top batting average in the nation at .360. The Kingsmen also have the most combined hits of any squad in the country with 544 and 111 doubles to top all teams as well.

Of those hits, 360 came during SCIAC games with 66 doubles, 19 triples and 11 homeruns for a .361 team average. Cal Lutheran outscored league opponents 256-84. The pitching staff combined for a 2.72 ERA and defensively the Kingsmen had a team fielding percentage of .974 with 17 double-plays.

Petersen was a dual threat to the league this year, batting .470 to lead the SCIAC while posting a 6-1 record with a 2.73 ERA. The southpaw struck out 52 batters in 59.1 innings. Pulling double-duty, Petersen roamed the outfield during non-starts. After assuming the leadoff spot in mid-March, he recorded a team-high 47 hits with eight doubles, two triples and a homerun while drawing 13 walks. Additionally, he swiped a team-high seven bases. He finished his inaugural SCIAC season with 31 RBIs and 39 runs in 100 official at-bats. In the field he boasted a .975 fielding percentage with 24 putouts and 15 assists on the hill and in left field combined.

Honored as the SCIAC Pitcher of the Year, Roth made a name for himself out of the CLU bullpen this spring. In 17 appearances he accumulated 41.1 innings of work, striking out 52 with just two walks, to record a 4-0 record with six saves and a league-low .65 ERA. On April 23 Roth was named to the D3baseball.com Team of the Week.

Koons became a three-time First Team selection after another solid season at shortstop. Batting third for the Kingsmen, Koons hit .361 with 43 hits, including 10 doubles and a triple, with 23 RBIs and 29 runs scored. He was responsible for 133 outs with 84 assists and 39 putouts.

Earning his second First Team selection was Boggan a CLU staple at first base and in the clean-up spot. He committed just one error in 28 games for a .996 fielding percentage in 235 chances (219 putouts, 15 assists). At the plate he batted .411 with 44 hits, second most on the team, which included seven tape-measure homeruns, seven doubles and a triple for a .710 slugging percentage. He drove in a team-high 44 runs and scored 25 times after earning 16 walks and being hit by four pitches. Boggan stole two bases in two attempts.

For the first time in his career, DellaValle garnered league recognition. Batting primarily in the two hole, the junior produced a .410 average on 43 hits with four doubles and six triples recording 33 RBIs. DellaValle also walked 13 times and stole two bases in as many chances before scoring 32 times for the Violet and Gold. Manning the hot corner, he had 54 assists and 15 putouts. DellaValle became the first Cal Lutheran player honored on the D3baseball.com Team of the Week this spring on the April 9^th team.

Rounding out the infield with a Second Team nod was Smith, the senior second baseman. In his final campaign, he posted a .381 batting average after collecting 37 hits with eight doubles, two triples and a pair of homeruns, driving in 34 runs and scoring 28 times for his first league honor. Smith was 5-for-5 in stolen bases after walking six times and sharing a team-high eight hit by pitches. In the field he finished with 51 putouts and 72 assists for the Kingsmen.

Behind the plate, DuBois earned the starting role early in his sophomore season and worked with an extremely successful staff. He threw out seven would-be-base stealers and played errorless baseball in 158 chances with 139 putouts and 19 assists, earning him conference recognition. Offensively, he earned a batting average of .342 on 27 hits with a pair of doubles and a triple. DuBois shared the team-lead with eight hit by pitches and walked three times while proving to be the toughest man in the lineup to strike out with just five all season. Overall he scored 21 runs while recording 14 RBIs in league play. He also had a team-high seven sacrifice bunts. After the SCIAC Post Season Tournament DuBois became the third CLU player named to the D3baseball.com Team of the Week.

Working with DuBois from the hill were Hebda (7-1) and Peters (6-0). Hebda, the number two starter, tallied 54.2 innings of action with 26 strike outs during nine appearances to be honored by the league. The junior hurler allowed just five walks in SCIAC games for a 3.13 ERA.

Taking the ball for game three in each series was Peters who held his opponents to a combined .197 batting average and posted a 1.20 ERA. During his sophomore season, Peters struck out 28 batters in 45.0 innings of work for his first All-SCIAC award.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) won the 10^th SCIAC title in school history with a 24-4 record in 2013 and will appear in the West Regionals for the twelfth time since joining the NCAA in 1992.

Sunday, May 12 the NCAA will release the official bracket for the 2013 NCAA Division III Baseball Playoffs. The Kingsmen will travel to Austin, Tex. for the West Regionals next week with play scheduled for May 15-19 at Concordia University Texas.

Release: 2013 Baseball All-SCIAC Team
Regional Website: 2013 Division III West Regionals
Playoff Central: D3baseball.com Tournament Central
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

DuBois has started the last 20 games for CLU and has 30 starts to date this spring. Not only did the sophomore serve as the flawless backstop for three days of solid pitching performances, but he also made an impact with his bat with a .556 average.

Going 5-for-9, DuBois had a double and an RBI. He was also hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored two runs. In the tournament opener DuBois had an RBI single up the middle in a 4-3 victory over Occidental. On Saturday he was 3-for-3 and reached after being hit, scoring once. During the finale he notched a hit and scored a run leading the Kingsmen to the title.

Defensively, he caught all 25 innings without a single error and made 24 putouts with an assist. In a heads up play against Redlands, DuBois popped up from behind the plate on a ball hit to the infield and when the throw soared past first base he was there to back up the play and promptly got the ball to first baseman Nick Boggan to catch the runner after he took a turn, taking the wind out of the Bulldogs sails in the fifth inning.

DuBois is the third Kingsmen player to be recognized on the D3baseball.com Team of the Week. Nicho DellaValle earned the honor during week eight on April 9 and Aaron Roth represented the Violet and Gold during week 10 on April 23.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) is currently ranked No. 6 in the America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll that was released today. The Kingsmen will travel to Austin, Tex. for the West Regionals next week with play scheduled for May 15-19 at Concordia University Texas.

Release: D3baseball.com Team of the Week
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As he has done all season, Roth carried Cal Lutheran in every game during its 3-0 march through the Inaugural SCIAC Post Season Tournament as the Kingsmen captured the title and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs. CLU posted a 24-4 regular season record to win the 10^th SCIAC title in school history, marking the first in 12 years.  

Roth was named the tournament MVP after shining over the weekend, pitching 6.1 shutout innings and earning one win and two saves. The junior closer was nearly unhittable, allowing just three base hits while striking out nine without a walk.

In game one of the tournament, Roth pitched the final 3.2 innings for his sixth win of the season. He entered the game to get a ground ball and fly ball to end the seventh and went on to strike out four in a 4-3 victory over Occidental without allowing a walk or a run.

Saturday in the second game of the weekend, the righty came on in relief and pitched the final 1.2 innings, earning his ninth save en route to a 5-2 Cal Lutheran victory over Redlands. He retired four of the first five batters he faced via strike out and got a weak ground ball to second base for the final out of the game.

During the championship game, Roth came out of the bullpen in the ninth inning to hold off a Pomona-Pitzer comeback and held off a ninth inning comeback. He fittingly struck out the final batter of the game, sending his team and the crowd into celebration. With the effort he earned his tenth save of the spring.

Roth becomes the second CLU athlete honored as the SCIAC AOW this spring. He joins Shonna Christianson (April 9) from the Regals softball program.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) is currently ranked No. 6 in the America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) poll that was released today. The Kingsmen will travel to Austin, Tex. for the West Regionals next week with play scheduled for May 15-19 at Concordia University Texas.

Release: SCIAC AOW – May 7
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At the Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament, CLU earned 4-3, 5-2 and 10-6 victories over Occidental, Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer, respectively, to punch a playoff ticket.

The pitching-catching tandem of Aaron Roth and Spencer DuBois was recognized this week. Roth earned SCIAC Athlete of the Week honors while DuBois landed on the D3baseball.com Team of the Week, garnering national recognition.

Cal Lutheran continues to boast a country-leading team batting average of .360 with a nation-leading 544 hits, including 111 doubles, the most of any squad. CLU is second in runs (396), triples (26) and on base percentage (.436). Additionally, the Kingsmen are fourth in slugging percentage (.504).

The pitching staff is ranked eighth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.01) boasted by Roth, who is third in the nation with a 14.0 ratio. He is also ranked third in WHIP (.75), fourth with an ERA of 0.99 and seventh with 10 saves. Tyler Hebda is fifth with nine victories.

Nick Boggan continues to lead the country in RBIs (65) and total bases (122). He is second in homeruns with 12 and tenth in hits (69). Jake Petersen holds the both the fifth best batting average and fifth most runs scored. The lefty is hitting at a .466 clip and has scored 56 times for the Violet and Gold. He is also14^th in hits with 68. Nicho DellaValle is currently 12^th with six triples.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) won the 10^th SCIAC title in school history with a 24-4 record in 2013 and will appear in the West Regionals for the twelfth time since joining the NCAA in 1992. Sunday, May 12 the NCAA will release the official bracket for the 2013 NCAA Division III Baseball Playoffs. The Kingsmen will travel to Austin, Tex. for the West Regionals next week with play scheduled for May 15-19 at Concordia University Texas.

Poll: ABCA Poll – May 7
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No. 8 Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) who was crowned the champions of the tournament and earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament had five players named to the 11-man squad. A trio of Pomona-Pitzer players was recognized with two from Redlands and one from Occidental.

Headlining the team was Most Valuable Player and CLU closer Aaron Roth who worked in all three games, accumulating 6.1 scoreless innings, striking out nine without walking a batter. He earned the 4-3 win against Occidental, and saves against both Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer.

Teammate Tyler Hebda recorded a game two win over UR by throwing 7.1 innings and striking out one. He allowed just two runs in the 5-2 victory. Rounding out the pitchers honored was Stuart Ganno (PP) who tossed a complete game with three strike outs in a 14-2 win over Redlands on Saturday to advance to the championship game.

Behind the plate Spencer DuBois had a fantastic weekend for the Kingsmen, catching all 25 innings without an error or passed ball and recorded 24 putouts with an assist. He also led CLU at the plate, going 5-for-9 with a double for a .556 average as he reached base eight times. DuBois drove in a run, scored twice and stole a base.

At first base, Cal Lutheran senior Nick Boggan hit at a .417 clip going 5-for-12 with a two-run homerun as the ultimate game-winning hit in Sunday’s tournament clinching victory over PP. He also scored three times. In the field he recorded 27 putouts and an assist without an error.

Second base accolades went to Redlands senior Jason Henning who had four hits including a double with three RBIs and two runs scored. Defensively he was part of nine putouts and seven assists and was part of one double-play.

Senior CLU shortstop Trevor Koons was perfect in the field with three putouts and 11 assists. He was responsible for three hits, three runs and three RBIs over the weekend while also drawing a walk.  

EJ Lopez from Pomona-Pitzer was a leader for the Sagehens at the plate and in the field. He batted .444 with eight hits including a double while driving in five and scoring five. Lopez also reached on a walk and was hit by a pitch, stealing two bases in two chances. At the hot corner he made four putouts with eight assists.

In the outfield, players from three different teams were represented.

Finishing his career at Occidental, Pedro Aldape moved from first base to left field in the final game of the season. Overall he had eight putouts for the Tigers. Batting clean-up for the Black and Orange, he was 3-for-8 with a double, adding a walk and he was hit by a pitch before coming in to score a run.  

In his final series for PP, Erik Munzer turned in a perfect performance in centerfield. He caught 10 fly balls. At the plate he had six hits and walked once. After reaching he stole a base and came around to score three times for the Hens.

From UR, Nathaniel Acosta batted .364 with four hits, two of which were for extra bases with a double and a homerun for a slugging percentage of .727. He finished with four RBIs and scored three times. In right field he made 11 catches.

Congratulations to all those honored and everyone who participated in the tournament.

Cal Lutheran will move on to represent the SCIAC in the West Regionals set to be played in Austin, Tex. from May 15-19. The Division III College World Series will take place in Appleton, Wisc. May 24-28.

Release: All Tournament Team
Championship Central: Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament
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America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) No. 8 Cal Lutheran won the regular SCIAC season with a 24-4 record and swept through the Post Season Tournament with wins over Occidental, Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer to end their home schedule with a dog pile between the pitcher’s mound and first base line.

The hard work and dedication that each and every player and coach has exhibited this year and in prior years past has paid off, but this is just one more check on the Cal Lutheran “To Do List.” The excitement in the stadium following the final out went well beyond the players and coaches to the fans and loyal supporters of the program.

Today was another total team effort in which the Kingsmen scored 10 runs on 10 hits with some help from the Pomona-Pitzer pitching staff that was inconsistent and struggled to find the strike zone all day. CLU earned seven walks and four batters were hit by pitches.

As they have done all season and throughout their careers, the senior class led the charge for CLU today. First baseman Nick Boggan launched a two-run homerun in the bottom of the fourth inning, to cap off a five-run frame, pushing the Kingsmen lead to 8-2. It turned into the ultimate game-winning hit after PP scored two in the ninth. Boggan and classmate Trevor Koons was 2-for-5 as well with two RBIs, also scoring twice and Mike Vinyard drove in a pair of runs and scored once.

Taking the hill for the Violet and Gold was Scott Peters (8-0) who remains undefeated in 2013 following a 6.0 inning performance in which he scattered seven hits and allowed four runs, three earned, while striking out five. Morgan Garcia-Grisham came in from the bullpen in the seventh and struck out two, but had trouble hitting his spots. Aaron Roth entered the game with a runner on base and nobody out in the ninth for his tenth save of the year. “Rubber arm Roth,” as referred to by teammates, hit the first batter he faced, but went on to force an infield fly, a fielder’s choice and finished it fittingly with a strike out, sending the bench into a frenzy and the crowd, already on its feet, to an elevated level of celebration.

Pomona-Pitzer scored first in the top of the second inning with a leadoff single from Erik Munzer, a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Madden and a two-out RBI-single to centerfield from Jackson Badger.

Not to be outdone, Cal Lutheran posted a three-run second as the Kingsmen took advantage of erratic pitching, drawing a pair of walks to lead the inning off. Nick DeLorenzo stole third base and came in to score on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Vinyard for the first CLU run of the game. Spencer DuBois also walked, forcing starting pitcher Robert Weller from the hill. Jake Petersen went on to line a two-RBI double to left field to take a 3-1 advantage and control of the game.

The lead was cut to one in the third after Nick Gentili drove in Mike Moyer, who was hit by a pitch, with a single to score a run.

In the fourth, CLU sent 10 men to the plate to score five runs and open up the game. Though the first two batters were retired, the Kingsmen dug down like they have done all season and produced in the clutch. Garrett Smith reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. Petersen and Nicho DellaValle were hit by pitches in back-to-back at-bats and Koons laced a two-RBI single to the left side scoring both players as DellaValle dove into home, eluding a tag at the plate. Boggan then connected for his twelfth homerun of the season for two more runs.

The Kingsmen tacked two more on in the sixth as DellaValle and Koons led the inning off with back-to-back hits, a single and double, respectively. DeLorenzo drew a walk and Ramsey Abushahla was hit by a pitch to score one. Vinyard then recorded an RBI single for the final CLU run of the game.

PP would push another run across the plate in the seventh when Moyer scored on a sacrifice fly from Gentili, who had four of the six RBIs in the game for the Hens. In the ninth the senior right fielder finished his career off with a two-run homerun over the right field fence on an 0-2 pitch.

The Pomona-Pitzer offensive production from Gentili kept the Sagehens in the game as he went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run. EJ Lopez had three hits and scored once and Munzer was the only other player with a multi-hit game.

Weller (1-3) was tagged with the loss after lasting just 1.1 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, and walking four. CLU scored five runs off Drew Helgren and two off Mark Okuma.

Though he was only 1-for-2, DuBois reached base four times. He bunted for a base hit with one out in the bottom of the fourth and reached on a fielder’s choice while walking twice. DeLorenzo walked three times today. Both DellaValle and Petersen reached base a trio of times with a combined three hit by pitches and a walk to score three times.

The leather shined on both sides today. Vinyard made a diving catch in right centerfield in the third inning for the Kingsmen. PP left fielder Moyer made a phenomenal diving catch in the CLU bullpen for the first out of the bottom of the third. He made another great catch in foul ground for the second out of the frame.

Pomona-Pitzer played errorless baseball with Sam Fox recording seven outs at shortstop with four putouts and three assists. Moyer and Jake Bruml had six putouts and an assist apiece. The Sagehens turned two double-plays with a pair of 5-4-3 situations.

For the Kingsmen, DuBois had eight putouts behind the plate and Boggan had seven at first base. At second base Smith had five putouts and an assist and DellaValle had five assists at the hot corner. Koons also had five touches with three putouts and two assists in his final home game at shortstop inside Ullman Stadium.  

Roth played a key role in all three victories and took the ball in his fourth consecutive game today. He totaled 6.1 innings in relief this weekend and did not allow a run while striking out nine.

Cal Lutheran (34-7-1) won the tenth SCIAC title in school history and the first since 2001. The Kingsmen claimed the Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament title and now knows that CLU will be one of 56 teams announced when the selection show takes place as this weekend served as the automatic qualification. Cal Lutheran last appeared in the Playoffs in 2009.

The official NCAA Division III Baseball Playoff bracket is scheduled to be released on Sunday, May 12. The Kingsmen will travel to Concordia University Texas for the West Regional, one of eight regional sites.  

Box Score: CLU 10, PP 6
All-Tournament Team: All Tournament Team
Championship Central: Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament
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Both the first and second games of the day ended with scores of 5-2 with Pomona-Pitzer (29-17) downing Occidental (26-15) and Cal Lutheran (33-7-1) defeating Redlands (22-18). The Saturday finale went to the Sagehens who scored seven runs in the top of the fourth inning to take control of the contest en route to a 14-2 victory.

A three-hour and 11 minute first game allowed Pomona-Pitzer to advance while ending the Occidental season. PP was led by Erik Munzer and Jackson Badger who had two hits apiece for the Sagehens. Jake Bruml had a hit, two walks and scored a run. Starting pitcher Collin Majev went 7.2 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and struck out seven. Guy Stevens (1-0) earned the win with a no-hit, no-run 1.1 inning performance.

Occidental was paced by Logan Allen who had two hits, stole two bags and scored both Oxy runs while contributing two putouts and five assists in the field during the final game of his career. Jonathan Brooks had one hit and walked three times. The Tigers used six pitchers with Scott Hong taking the ball to start. He lasted 5.2 innings after allowing two runs on six hits with three strike outs before moving to the outfield. David Feasler (3-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs, both earned, in 2/3 of an inning.

Game two featured host CLU against Redlands. The teams combined for 19 hits, three errors and seven runs. Cal Lutheran got three hits apiece from Spencer DuBois and Ramsey Abushahla while Tyler Hebda (8-3) earned the victory and Aaron Roth recorded his ninth save of the season. The Redlands 2-5 batters in the lineup each had two hits apiece with Jason Henning recording two RBIs driving in Jordan Dresner twice.

In just the third SCIAC start of his career, freshman Abushahlasparked the Cal Lutheran offense with a 3-for-5 day at the plate, driving in three and scoring once. He tripled in the top of the second and scored the first run of the game. In the third inning, he connected for a two-run single, scoring Nicho DellaValle and Trevor Koons who singled and walked, respectively. He knocked his third hit of the game with two outs in the fifth, for his third RBI of the day when Nick Boggan crossed the plate after reaching on a passed ball following a strike out to give CLU a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth with runners at second and third and one down Jake Petersen made a phenomenal diving grab in left field to keep the Bulldogs at bay and the CLU scoreless game intact for the time being.

Trailing by four in the bottom of the fifth, Redlands had an opportunity to take advantage of a CLU throwing error that allowed Joe Bell to reach, but DuBoiscame out from behind the plate to back up the play and quickly got the ball back to Boggan at first for the tag on Bell who took a turn after the ball skidded past the base. Hebda made quick work of the next two batters with fly ball and a ground ball to escape unscathed.

Redlands would break through and get on the board in the sixth. Dresner singled to lead off the frame and Henning promptly smacked an RBI-double to the left centerfield fence to cut into the CLU lead to a trio at 4-1.

Cal Lutheran reclaimed the run they surrendered in the top of the eighth. DuBois was hit by a pitch and stole second before a Redlands error allowed the CLU catcher to come around and score, pushing the lead to 5-1 with nine outs to play.

As quickly as CLU scored, the Bulldogs returned the favor. Dresner connected for his second hit of the game and moved from second to third on an error in the outfield. Henning again drove in Dresner with an RBI hit to center. A bunt single put runners at first and second with one out, forcing Hebda from the hill after 7.1 innings.

Roth came in to strike out the first four of the five batters he faced, forcing a weak ground ball to Garrett Smith at second for the final out of the game.

Being tagged with the loss was Eliot Smith (7-3) who allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits while striking out five Kingsmen. He went 7.0 before handing the ball to Ross Orman.

Defensively, Boggan had 12 putouts and DuBois had six with an assist for Cal Lutheran. Koons tallied five assists at shortstop today.

In game three on Saturday, Pomona-Pitzer totaled 17 hits and Redlands made two errors as the Sagehens scored 14 runs while UR collected seven hits with one PP error for two Bulldogs runs. Pomona-Pitzer retaliated against Redlands who posted a 10-run eighth inning on Friday to steal a victory with a big inning of their own today. The Sagehens scored three unearned runs in the third inning and added seven more in the fourth and one in the fifth for an 11-0 advantage before the Bulldogs broke through in the bottom of the fifth on a solo homerun over the right centerfield fence from Max Hardman. UR pushed on more across in the sixth and PP tacked on another trio in the top of the ninth.  

Mike Moyer was 4-for-5 with four runs and an RBI and Nick Gentili had a three-hit game with two RBIs and two runs for the Hens. Four other players had two hits apiece with EJ Lopez driving in three. Stuart Gano (5-2) threw a complete game, scattering seven hits and striking out three.

The Bulldogs looked to Hardman for a pair of hits, an RBI and a run. Henning had a hit, a walk and scored the other UR run of the game. On the hill, John Keane (4-5) suffered the loss after allowing three runs, all unearned, on five hits in 3.0 innings though he struck out a pair.

Cal Lutheran will host Pomona-Pitzer in the championship game of the Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament tomorrow, May 5. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Should a second game be necessary the teams will play again at 2:30 p.m.

Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. and tickets will be priced at $5 for adults. All SCIAC students, staff and faculty with a current ID will be admitted for free. Children 12 and under are also free.

Box Score: PP 14, UR 2
Box Score: CLU 5, UR 2
Box Score: PP 5, OXY 2
Championship Central: Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament
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It was the eighth inning of a tied game and the Kingsmen had momentum on their side. Nick DeLorenzo singled and Ramsey Abushahla pinch ran and stole second base. Mike Vinyard drew a walk to put runners on first and second. A ground ball at third base had the implications of an inning-ending double play, but after AJ Libunao stepped on third his throw sailed over the head of first baseman Pedro Aldape. Running full force, Vinyard was tripped up at third and play stopped. Initially the umpire sent him to back to the base, forcing both coaches to question the call, The umpires discussed and the call was eventually overturned on account of an interference call against Libunao, allowing Vinyard to cross the plate with the ultimate winning run.

The dramatics did not end there for CLU. With one out in the ninth the Tigers leadoff man, Scott Hong, singled and advanced to second on an outfield error. Hong took off running on contact, but a hard hit ball quickly got to Cal Lutheran shortstop Trevor Koons who pivoted his body and threw to Nicho DellaValle where he tagged Hong out at third for the second out of the inning. A single from Jonathan Brooks put runners on the corners and Aldape was hit by a pitch on the forearm to load the bags. An energetic crowd was on its feet as Victor Munoz took a big hack at a 2-2 pitch, but came up short, sparking CLU closer Aaron Roth to let out a scream and clinch his fist in celebration.

The home squad got out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Nick Boggan was unaffected by the Occidental defensive shift they put on him and punched the first CLU hit of the day to left field before DeLorenzofollowed suit with a single to right. Kevin Leonard moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt. A deep fly ball off the bat of Mike Vinyard found the grass for an RBI double as Boggan came in to plate the first run of the weekend for the Kingsmen. DeLorenzo would score on a single up the middle from Spencer DuBois.

The teams would exchange runs in the fifth inning. Occidental cut the lead in half in the top when Logan Allen drove in Libunao as the Tigers collected three hits in the frame.

Jake Petersen, who struck out five in the first three innings on the hill, nearly single handedly, reclaimed the run that CLU surrendered. He led off with a double down the right field line, advancing to third on an outfield error, before diving into home plate on a sacrifice fly from Koons to push the advantage back to a pair at 3-1.

The Tigers would come right back, responding with two runs in the seventh to tie it at 3-3. Aldape led off with a single and moved to second on Riley Smith’s second hit of the game. A pinch-hit RBI single from Chris Caldwell scored Aldape. Another Libunao single drove in Smith with the tying run.

Roth came out of the bullpen with one out after Petersen went 6.1, striking out six while allowing three runs on 10 hits. Roth (6-1) forced a ground ball to second and a fly ball to centerfield to end the inning.

The junior righty tossed 3.2 innings, scattering three hits and striking out four without allowing a walk or run.

Offensively, the Kingsmen collected 10 hits and were aided by four Oxy errors. Boggan led the attack going 3-for-3 with a walk and a run. Vinyard was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, driving in one and scoring one. DeLorenzo also had a two-hit game.

Occidental connected for 13 hits and used one Cal Lutheran error to their advantage. Aldape, Brooks, Hong, Libunao and Smith had a pair of hits apiece. Aldape and Munoz, who was stranded on second in the fourth, each doubled as the only two extra-base hits allowed. Allen finished with a hit and an RBI.

Tigers starting pitcher Joseph Kling got a no decision after throwing 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits with one strike out. Thomas Lalli (0-3) was tagged with the loss following a 2.0 inning performance in which he allowed one run on two hits and struck out a pair. Each pitcher walked one CLU batter.

At Pomona-Pitzer, trailing 5-4 after seven innings, visiting Redlands used an eighth inning rally to score 10 runs and take a lead they would not relinquish, though the Sagehens put up a fight with two runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth.

Kyle Hart (6-5) earned the win for Redlands while Jake Bruml (7-4) took the loss as both lasted 7.1 innings. Hart allowed just four earned runs, of seven, on 11 hits while striking out three. Bruml surrendered seven earned runs on 12 hits with a walk and two strike outs.

Also throwing for UR were Ross Ortman and Josh Makler. Ortman went an inning and Makler recorded the final two outs for the Bulldogs.

Cal Lutheran will host the second round of the Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament tomorrow, May 4. Occidental (26-14) and Pomona-Pitzer (27-13) will meet at 9:00 a.m. on George “Sparky” Anderson Field in Ullman Stadium. At noon CLU (32-7-1) will play Redlands (22-16). The final game of the day is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. and will pit the winner of the Oxy/PP game against the loser of the CLU/UR game.

Gates will open at 8:00 a.m. and tickets will be priced at $10 for adults. All SCIAC students, staff and faculty with a current ID will be admitted for free. Children 12 and under are also free.

Box Score: CLU 4, OXY 3
Box Score: UR 14, PP 8
Championship Central: Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament
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The Academic All-District® teams are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada. Criteria for nomination include holding better than a 3.30 cumulative GPA and playing a significant role on your team.

Earning one of the four infield spots for District VIII was Boggan who has started all 39 games this spring for the Kingsmen. As of April 28 he was leading the squad and the country in RBIs (63) and total bases (114). His 11 homeruns leads the SCIAC and is third most in the nation. Boggan boasts a .410 batting average with 64 hits, which are third and second for CLU this spring, respectively.

In the classroom the Pacific Grove, Calif. native will graduate with a degree in Business in a few weeks. He was named to the Dean’s List in 2011 and was nominated for the Festival of Scholars. Twice, in 2011 and 2012, he was an Ernst Young Scholarship recipient.

Joining Boggan on the District VIII team from the SCIAC were Pomona-Pitzer pitcher Jake Bruml and outfielder Mike Moyer and Redlands catcher Sean McMillan.

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.

Capital One has been the entitlement rights holder to CoSIDA’s Academic All-America teams programs since 2011.

Cal Lutheran (31-7-1, 24-4 SCIAC) will host the Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Post Season Tournament from May 3-5 at George “Sparky” Anderson Field at Ullman Stadium. CLU and Occidental play Friday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m. with Pomona-Pitzer hosting Redlands. Games will continue in a double-elimination format throughout the weekend.

Release: 2013 Capital One Academic All-District® Baseball Teams
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The tournament will be played on the campus of Cal Lutheran on Saturday. If CLU is eliminated on Saturday,the the tournament will move to the next highest seed's home field on Sunday. Saturday’s action begins with the loser of Game 1 playing the loser of Game 2 at 9:00 a.m. The winners of Game 1 and Game 2 will meet at noon. Finally, the winner of Game 3 will play the loser of Game 4 at 3:00 p.m.

The tournament will conclude on Sunday, May 5, with the final two teams remaining with first pitch set for 11:00 a.m. If necessary, a following game will be played at 3:00 p.m. to determine the champion.

No. 1 Cal Lutheran (31-7-1, 24-4 SCIAC) at a glance:  The tournament’s No. 1 seed and America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) No. 8 ranked Cal Lutheran enters the post season boasting one of the best offenses in Division III. This season, CLU is hitting .365 as a team and has outscored its opponents 377-165. The Kingsmen lead the nation in a number of categories including hits (515), runs (377), on-base percentage (.443) and doubles (105).

Piloting the Kingsmen offense is Nick Boggan, the Division III leader in RBIs with 63. For the year, Boggan is hitting .410 with 64 hits, 13 doubles and 11 homeruns. Third baseman Nicho DellaValle is second on the team with a .418 average. He leads the SCIAC in triples with six and is third in RBIs with 42. Second baseman Garrett Smith is hitting .385 and is second only to Boggan in RBIs with 43.

Cal Lutheran boasts one of the top two-way players in the country in Jake Petersen. In his first year for the Kingsmen, Petersen is fourth in Division III with a .485 batting average and leads CLU in hits with 65 and runs with 54. When not roaming the outfield, Petersen is also Cal Lutheran No. 1 starter. The junior southpaw is 7-1 with a 3.23 ERA and has struck out 66 batters. Coming out of the bullpen is Aaron Roth who leads the SCIAC with a 1.10 ERA. The junior is 5-1 with eight saves and earlier this season went 46.1 innings without allowing a run.

The Kingsmen are led by Marty Slimak who is in his 20th season as head coach. Already the winningest-coach in CLU history, Slimak has guided the Kingsmen to nine SCIAC championships and finished runner-up at the Division III World Series in 1996. CLU last won a SCIAC championship in 2001.

No. 4 Occidental (26-13, 17-11 SCIAC) at a glance: Coming off its winningest season in 22 years, Occidental sustained its success in 2013, winning 26 regular season games and enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed. The Tigers are led by four-year starting shortstop Logan Allen. Allen, the Tigers all-time hits and doubles leader, comes into the tournament with a .344 average including 14 doubles and 24 RBIs. Jonathon Brooks is fourth in the SCIAC with a .416 average and leads the team with 32 RBIs.

Occidental will also count on one of the top two-way players in the west region, senior pitcher/outfielder Scott Hong. The former closer was converted to Oxy’s No.1 starter the last month of the season and is currently second in the SCIAC with a 1.20 ERA. At the plate, the speedy outfielder has a .331 average and SCIAC-leading 32 steals. Fellow pitcher Joseph Kling leads the Tigers in innings pitched with 67.1 and boasts a 3.21 ERA.

The Tigers are led by Luke Wetmore who in his second year as head coach. Wetmore has quickly turned around the Oxy baseball program, producing 23 wins in 2012 and 26 this season after averaging just 15 in the five previous years. Occidental last won a SCIAC baseball championship in 1982.

No. 2 Pomona-Pitzer (27-12, 20-8 SCIAC) at a glance: Winners of two of the last four SCIAC championships, Pomona-Pitzer comes to the Post Season Tournament as the No. 2 seed after winning 25 games for the seventh straight season. Despite the loss of its No. 2 and 3 pitchers midseason, the Sagehens are second in the SCIAC with a team ERA of 3.39. Pomona-Pitzer is led by one of the top two-way players in the country in Jake Bruml. The pitcher/first baseman is 7-3 with a 2.68 ERA in 12 starts this season while hitting .366 with 17 doubles and four homeruns. His 34 RBI is tied for the team lead.

The Sagehens will also hope to ride the hot bat of Erik Munzer. After hitting just .190 through the first 10 games, the four-year starting outfielder hit .461 (60-130) over the final 29 games of the season en route to a SCIAC-leading 67 hits. Fellow senior, Nick Gentili is hitting .389 with 17 doubles and 41 runs scored.

On the mound, the Saghens will also rely on Stuart Gano and Collin Majev. Gano leads the team with 13 appearances this season while Majec is 3-0 and carries a 2.89 ERA.

Pomona-Pitzer is led by Frank Pericolosi who is in his 11th season as head coach. The winningest coach in program history, Pericolosi’s teams have captured four SCIAC championships during his tenure with the most current coming in 2010.

No. 3 Redlands (21-16, 17-11 SCIAC) at a glance: The Bulldogs rebounded from 13-15 SCIAC record in 2012 to 17 wins against conference opponents in 2013. One reason for the turnaround was the Bulldogs improved team batting average that jumped by nearly 30 points this season. Junior outfielder Alex Schiewe leads the team with a .459 batting average and has collected 27 RBIs.

Second baseman Jason Henning leads the team in doubles with 11 while outfielder Nathanial Acosta has swatted seven homeruns. Catcher Sean McMillan is the Bulldogs leading run producer with 33 RBIs including 28 during conference play.

Eliot Smith has been the Bulldogs ace this season going 7-2 with a 3.96 ERA. The senior leads the SCIAC with 72 strikeouts, averaging over eight per nine innings. When not pitching, Smith also plays first base and boasts a .333 average with seven doubles. Fellow pitcher John Keane is 4-4 and has thrown two complete-games. Look for Redlands to bring Josh Makler out of the bullpen. Makler leads the SCIAC in appearances with 24 and is third in saves with six.

The Bulldogs are led by Scott Laverty who is in his 14th season as head coach. Under Laverty’s guidance, the Bulldogs have won two SCIAC championships with the most recent coming in 2011.

Schedule

Game 1: Occidental at Cal Lutheran -- Friday, May 3 – 3:00 p.m.
Probable Starters: RHP Scott Hong (5-1) vs. LHP Jake Petersen (7-1)

Game 2: Redlands at Pomona-Pitzer – Friday, May 3 – 3:00 p.m.
Probable Starters: LHP Eliot Smith (7-2) vs. RHP Jake Bruml (7-3)

Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser – Saturday, May 4 – 9:00 a.m. (@ CLU)
Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner – Saturday, May 4 – 12:00 p.m. (@ CLU)
Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser – Saturday, May 4 – 3:00 p.m. (@ CLU)

Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner – Sunday, May 5 – 11:00 a.m. (@ highest remaining seed)
(If necessary)
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser – Sunday, May 5 – 3:00 p.m. (@ highest remaining seed)

Championship Central:
Bracket: PDF schedule
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Needing every win to solidify its No. 2 ranking in the west region, Cal Lutheran fell behind early in game one. Chapman got on top in the first inning thanks to three seeing-eye singles and two bases-loaded walks. Connor Battagalia drove in the first run of the game when he singled just past the grasp of CLU second baseman Garrett Smith, allowing Eddie Aguayo to score. Taber Watson followed with an RBI single into left-center, plating Mark Saatzer. CLU then walked Tyler Surnbock to load the bases before David Basen laid off a 3-2 fast ball and earned the walk, scoring Battagalia and putting Chapman up 3-0. Kingsmen starting pitcher Scott Peters would avoid any further damage after getting a strikeout to end the inning.

The Kingsmen got a run back in the bottom of the first when Jake Petersen led off the game with a single through the right-side and eventually came home on an RBI-single from Boggan.

Boggan then broke the CLU single season record for RBIs when he drove in his 60th run of the year in the bottom of the third, scoring Petersen and cutting the Panther lead to 4-2.

Aaron Roth, who came on in relief in the bottom of the third, gave CLU the momentum in the top of the fourth with a 1-2-3 inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Smith continued to chip away at the Panther lead when he lifted a sacrifice fly, plating Ramsey Abushala pulling the Kingsmen to within one at 4-3.

Fittingly, Koons, who already holds the career record for doubles at CLU, became the all-time hits leader with his double off the left field wall in the bottom of the fifth. Boggan followed that with his third RBI of the game when he laced a single back up the middle and knotted the game at four.

Roth cruised through the middle innings, at one point retiring nine straight. The junior ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh when he allowed two singles to start the inning. After Watson sacrificed the runners into scoring position, Roth buckled down and got a groundout and a strikeout to end the scoring threat.  

In the bottom of the eighth, Spencer DuBois reached with after being hit by a pitch and then Smith roped a double into the right field gap, scoring DuBois and giving CLU the go-ahead run. The run came off Watson, who held CLU scoreless and struck out eight back on March 2 when the Panthers defeated CLU 9-6.

Chapman would waste little time tying things back up however when Watson helped himself with an RBI double into the right centerfield gap, knotting the score at 5-5. The run also snapped Roth’s scoreless consecutive innings streak at 46.1.

With one out in the tenth, Cal Lutheran got the winning-run on base when Vinyard knocked his second base-hit of the game through the left-side. DuBois followed a single of his own, bringing Smith to the plate. Smith battled a 2-2 count before hitting a hot-shot to the Chapman second baseman who was unable to come up with the ball, allowing Vinyard to race around third and into home, giving CLU the walk-off win.

Roth (5-1) earned the win after pitching a career-high 7.1 innings. Primarily used a closer, Roth struck out eight and allowed just one run.

Boggan, DuBois, Koons, and Petersen all had two hits to lead CLU with Boggan collecting three RBIs while Smith drove in two.

Matt Molar (1-2) suffered the loss after giving up two hits and one unearned run.

Battagalia led Chapman at the plate with three hits and two RBIs.

Game two saw Cal Lutheran get out a run in the bottom of the first inning when John Leal ripped a double down the left field line, scoring Petersen.

Morgan Garcia-Grisham got the start on the mound for CLU, pitching the first three innings while not allowing a run.

The Kingsmen got four more runs in the bottom of the third thanks to RBI base-hits from Boggan, Koons and Vinyard as they pushed their lead to 5-0.

The following inning, Smith scored on a passed ball and Boggan drove in his 63rd run of the year in the bottom of the sixth, scoring Leal from second base.

Cal Lutheran made a number of substitutions prior to the fifth inning with a number of younger players seeing playing time. In the top of the fifth, Atherton Kniseley, Zach Cope and Davey Casciola combined for a slick 5-4-3 double play to end a Caltech scoring chance.

Tyler Churchman had an RBI-single in the bottom of the seventh and Craig Jacobsen, who earlier doubled, came home on a Kniseley sac fly in the bottom of the eighth to round out the scoring.

Garcia-Grisham (1-0) earned the first win of his collegiate career while Mitchell Shields, Cory Messmore, Matt Johnston, Cameron Adams, Matt Burden and Brady Mickelson combined to shut the Beavers out over the final six innings.

Leal was 3-for-4 with a double and three stolen bases while Petersen was 2-for-3. Petersen also scored four runs on the day which gives him 54 for the season and he is now just six away from breaking the CLU single season record.

Seniors Kevin Leonard and Ronnie Burton, playing in their final regular season game at Ullman Stadium, both earned the start in game two.

Jerome Skelly (0-8) took the complete-game loss allowing nine runs on 14 hits.

Briann Penserini, Skelly, and Albie Lavin all had two hits for the Beavers.

Cal Lutheran (31-7-1 24-4 SCIAC), who clinched the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Inaugural SCIAC Baseball Tournament, will await the rest of the seeding after the regular season is completed on Tuesday. Friday, May 3, CLU will host the No. 4 team, who is yet to be determined. Game time is tentatively 3:00 p.m.  

Game 1: CLU 6 CU 5 (10 innings)
Game 2: CLU 9 CIT 0
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Cal Lutheran took an initial lead when it scored in the first inning thanks to a lead-off single by Jake Petersen and an RBI-ground out from Trevor Koons.

Unfortunately for the Kingsmen, La Verne pushed across two runs in the first inning to go up 2-1. After the first two Leopard runners walked to start the bottom of the second inning, La Verne went up by two after a Nick Bergara ground-out. A batter later, George Hanna lined a double into left-center to put La Verne up 4-2.

La Verne starting pitcher Kevin Knight would go on to retire nine of the next 10 CLU batters he saw.

The Kingsmen threatened in the top of the sixth inning when Garrett Smith led off with a double and Petersen followed that with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt from Nicho DellaValle moved the runners into scoring position, Koons notched his second RBI-ground out of the day to bring the lead back down to three runs. Knight buckled down however, getting the SCIAC’s homerun leader Nick Boggan, to fly-out and escape the inning without any further damage.

Cal Lutheran had one final chance in the top of the ninth when they loaded the bases with only one out thanks to two walks and one single but Knight got a strike out and foul out to end the game and give the Leopards a crucial win as they pulled even with Redlands for the fourth and final spot in the SCIAC Post Season Tournament.

CLU starting pitcher Tyler Hebda (7-3) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits in 5.0 innings of work. Morgan Garcia-Grisham closed out the game for the Kingsmen, tossing the final 3.0 innings.

Petersen was 2-for-3 with a run scored, upping his SCIAC-leading average to .484. Nick DeLorenzo and Mike Vinyard had the other hits for CLU.

Knight (6-3) earned the complete-game win, scattering five hits and allowing two runs.

Bergara and Hanna led the Leopards with two hits and RBI each.

Cal Lutheran (29-7-1, 22-4 SCIAC) closes out its regular season Sunday, April 28, with a split doubleheader. The Kingsmen open with Chapman at 11:00 a.m. and then host Caltech at 3:00 p.m. The program’s eight seniors will be honored before the Caltech game.

Box Score: ULV 5 CLU 2
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