Junior pitcher Hunter Haworth’s day on the mound Saturday afternoon against Simpson University was almost perfect. He struck out 13 batters in six innings while only giving up a single hit and a walk. Haworth came within one strikeout of tying Chico States all-time record of 14 by a single pitcher in a game.
By the top of the 7th inning, Chico was already up 6-0 and the coaching staff decided that Haworth’s afternoon was over. He struck out 13 out of 18 batters he faced, and then was replaced by junior pitcher Andrew Schantz who struck out two of the three batters in his single inning.
By the end of the game Simpson University struck out 16 times. But the strike outs weren’t what cost Simpson University the game. It was the errors by the defense that weighed the team down.
By watching the game, you’ll see that the box score doesn’t tell you the entire story. While the game was controlled by a dominant pitching performance, the spotty defense by Simpson University is what gave the Wildcats plenty of opportunities to get ahead.
The Wildcats 9 hits helped move base runners into scoring position but Simpsons throwing errors and wild pitches helped Chico State to score. Bad defense and the lack of offense by Simpson landed it its first loss of the Saturday afternoon double header. The final score was 9-0.
Some key contributors on the offense were junior shortstop Cameron Santos, who had 2 hits, 1 run and a RBI. Senior infielder Andru Cardenas was hit by a pitch which ultimately turned into a run. Fellow senior Dallas Porter hit a two-run home run coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. Casey Henderson also hit a deep home run for his first long-ball of the season.
Chico State men’s baseball looks to keep their 2-game winning streak alive as they play Simpson University two more times Feb. 13 at home. The team will then hit the road traveling to Houston for the “Houston Winter Invitational” beginning Feb. 17. The tournament is being held at Minute Maid park, the MLB stadium that the Houston Astros currently play in.
Jordan Jarrell can be reached at [email protected] or @chicoorionjj on Twitter.
