Roadrunners can't take advantage of Messmore's gem
| Sunday, Apr 10 2011 07:48 PM
Last Updated Sunday, Apr 10 2011 07:48 PM
The Cal State Bakersfield baseball team got the pitching performance it needed from Spenser Messmore on Sunday.
However, the Roadrunners offense did little to help the junior right-hander out in a 2-1 loss to Cal State Northridge at Hardt Field.
Making his first start in two years, Messmore went 7 1/3 innings and allowed just six hits and two runs while striking out six.
"Spenser did more than we could have possibly asked," CSUB coach Bill Kernen said. "... The thing we were worried about, we didn't have a problem with. But we didn't think we would score one run."
After outscoring Cal State Northridge (16-16) by a combined total of 28-8 during wins Friday and Saturday, CSUB (22-8) struggled to score against Matadors' starter Josh Goosen-Brown in the series finale.
Goosen-Brown scattered eight hits and gave up one earned run in 8 1/3 innings to improve to 4-0 on the season.
Despite his stellar stat line, Messmore who was subbing on the hill for the recently ruled ineligible Tommy Hoenshell, was saddled with the loss.
"I just went out there and tried to hold it down as long as I could and hope we had offensive days like we had the past two days," Messmore said.
Down 2-0 following runs by Northridge in the first and third, the 'Runners mounted a late charge.
Oscar Sanay led off the seventh with a double down the third baseline and scored one batter later on DC Legg's soft line drive single to centerfield.
Still trailing by a run, CSUB nearly tied things in the ninth. After Martin Medina lead off the frame with an infield single, Sanay tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt but instead hit into a fielder choice.
But following a Legg single to center that moved him to second, Sanay was thrown out at home by Matador's right fielder Nate Ryan on Kevin Younger's hard grounder through the hole between first and second.
Two batters later with the bases full and two outs, freshman Tyler Shryock popped out to end the game first-pitch swinging against Northridge reliever Paul Tremlin.
"I was just going to go out there and hold it down."
Overall CSUB left eight runners on base and had five reach third that didn't score including two that were thrown out at home.
In the fourth Jeremy Rodriguez was gunned down by Northridge's Drew Muren trying to score from second when Sanay dumped a one-out single in centerfield.
Rodriguez got into scoring position with a double down the right field line. It was one of three extra base hits for the 'Runners.
"We didn't take advantage of our chances," Kernen said. "You have to give credit to their pitcher. He made good pitches when he had to. They threw two guys out at the plate, which you rarely see particularly in college baseball. Sometimes people do things special and if it happens that day, it's very difficult."
The Matadors had only one extra base hit. Ridge Carpenter lead off the game with a home run on a fastball up in the strike zone from Messmore.
Adam Barry extended the Matadors' lead to 2-0 with an RBI single two in the third.
Muren, who finished 3--for-4, was the only Northridge player with multiple hits.
Legg and Sanay had two hits each to lead CSUB, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Next up for the 'Runners is a three-game series at UC Davis starting on Friday.
"We're on schedule to be considered as a playoff team, no question," Kernen said. "We still have a lot of work to do. We have many more games to win against really good teams. So we have our work cut out for us and we're not going to be able to rest. We need to win probably 15-16 more games."
