TUCSON, Ariz. — The Central Lakes College Raiders were blown out 20-4 in the first game of a doubleheader with the Miles Community College Pioneers and fought back only to lose a 14-13 heartbreaker in the second game Monday, March 9.
A two-run single by Reese Kapsner and a bases-loaded walk by Alex Haapajoki had CLC trailing 4-3 after one inning in the opener, but it was all Pioneers after that. A 10-run third inning by Miles was the crushing blow.
Preston Rocheleau and Luke Girtz both went 3-3 for the Raiders, who were out-hit 10-9. Rocheleau doubled and scored a run while Girtz drove in one. Phillip Zynda also doubled and scored twice.
Starter Sam Jensen was tagged with the loss. He lasted 2.1 innings and gave up 10 runs on five hits and six walks.
In the second game, the Raiders jumped out to a 9-1 lead after two, but Miles battled back, tying the game 10-10 in the bottom of the fifth.
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Kapsner’s RBI single in the sixth inning put the Raiders up 11-10. The Pioneers countered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth off Kapsner who took over the mound in the sixth and was tagged with the loss. Rocheleau started and gave up 10 runs on 12 hits over five innings.
A two-out, pinch-hit triple in the seventh by Zynda closed the gap to 13-12 before an Austin Dickmann flyout to right ended the game.
Jack Suska went 2-2 with a double and two RBIs. Kapsner also finished with multiple hits. He was 2-3 with an RBI and scored twice.
Nick Proshek and Hunter Wicklund each drove in two runs and scored two runs.
On Sunday, Mar. 8, Jonathan Lerma pitched all seven innings for the Raiders who opened their season with a 16-3 win over Rainy River. He struck out eight, walked and allowed just five hits.
Zynda went 3-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Jake Kapphahn belted a grand slam to open the scoring for the Raiders who tallied six runs in the third inning.
Kapsner also finished 3-4 with a triple and two RBIs while Girtz went 3-4 with three RBIs and three runs. Dickmann contributed a double.
In CLC’s second game Sunday, Eric Martin gave up three earned runs and six hits in a 10-0 five-inning loss to Triton College, the second of 10 games scheduled for the Raiders on their Arizona trip.
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Five different players singled for the Raiders, who were outhit 15-5.
