Big first inning helps Cabrillo take first game against Merced College

One tough inning proved to be the difference as Cabrillo College exploded for five runs in the first inning and cruised to a 7-4 win over Merced College in the first of a three-game playoff series at Blue Devil Diamond on Friday afternoon.

The No. 11 seeded Seahawks jumped on Blue Devils starter Nate McGhee for five hits in the opening frame.

“I was executing my pitches, but I was little up in the zone. I’m usually down in the zone,” McGhee said. “When you swing the bat and put the ball in play good things happen. That’s kind of what happened today.”

Clayton Andrews led off the game with a single to left field. It was the first of three hits for Andrews on the day. The left-hander even came in and closed out the game in the ninth to record a save.

Jarius Richard then drew a walk and Digger Gugale bounced a ball over the mound for an infield single to load the bases with no outs.

Cooper Krug then delivered the first of two big blows in the inning with a two-run double. Adam Rossit followed with an RBI-single to extend the lead to 3-0 with still no outs.

McGhee then got the next two batters on a strikeout and a sacrifice bunt and had a chance to get out of the inning with only the three runs surrendered. However, Zach Thibault delivered the second big blow in the inning by hitting a base hit to left to plate Krug and Rossit to give Cabrillo (28-13) a 5-0 lead.

“If we keep it right there and 3-0, we’ve come back from that plenty of times,” said Merced College coach Chris Pedretti. “Five runs is a pretty high number against a pretty good pitcher.”

Brett de Geus pitched well for the Seahawks, going seven strong innings. The right-hander scattered seven hits and only surrendered two runs as he didn’t allow the big inning against the No. 7 seed Blue Devils (26-15).

“The guy is good,” Pedretti said. “He wouldn’t give in. He wouldn’t just throw a fastball in those tough situations. He had a good slider. He made tough pitches.”

Carbillo got a solo home run from Jarius Richards to extend the lead to 6-0 in the second inning, but McGhee settled in from there. He gave up only one run in the next six innings as he went eight innings.

“I just went out there and started attacking the zone and pitching with more tempo,” McGhee said. “Give them credit, they have some good hitters. But I wasn’t at my best today.”

The Blue Devils finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Coleton Horner hit a sacrifice fly to score Alex Pallios to cut the lead to 6-1.

Derek Molina drove in a run in the seventh with a single and Victor Tiscareno doubled in a pair of runs in the eighth with a double that trimmed the lead to 7-4.

Andrews retired Merced College in order in the ninth to shut the door.

The series will resume on Saturday with the second game scheduled for 11 a.m. The Blue Devils will send Nick Gonzales to the mound. If Merced College can win it would force a third game at 3 p.m.

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 6:35 PM with the headline "Big first inning helps Cabrillo take first game against Merced College."