This week, Cuesta Baseball joined rival Allan Hancock to host their annual Spring Break Tournament.  The Cougars hosted three games in SLO and posted a 2-1 record on the week. 

 

The Cuesta Nine opened the event against East Los Angeles on Wednesday and earned a late win over the Huskies, 8-3.  ELAC opened the scoring with a run in the 3rd inning, but the Cougars evened the contest, 3-3, after Second Baseman Henry Hanavan doubled-in Jak Sinclair, before coming around to score on a Hank Hansen's groundout.  An inning later, Hanavan returned to give the Cougars the lead for good, 5-3, when he Doubled to score all-WSC Outfielder Makani Nabarro.  Cuesta sealed the victory after Hanavan scored his game-leading third RBI as part of the Cougars' three-run spurt in the game in the 8th inning.  Starter Zach Savino picked up his third straight victory, while allowing only two earned runs over 6.1 innings of work.  

 

The Cougars, ranked 29th overall, suffered their lone setback of the week against #13 Cypress.  Cuesta took an early lead, 1-0, after Leadoff Justin Lemaster opened the game with a single and scored on Sinclair's Sacrifice Fly, but the visiting Chargers piled up 10 runs over the next five innings and carried their advantage into the stretch, 10-3.  The Cougars managed to score three times in the bottom of the 7th, but could not close the gap, as each team plated one more run and Chargers were able to claim the win, 11-7.  Eight different Cougars earned a hit in the game, while reserve Outfielders Gavin Colombo and Erik Furness each came off the bench to drive in a pair of runs.  

 

Cuesta bounced back and closed the tournament by taking a 10-inning donnybrook against Merced, 9-8, on Thursday.  After each team scored once in the 2nd inning, the Cougars employed "small ball" to take their first lead, 4-1, while combining four singles and a walk in the 3rd inning.  Cuesta's advantage held until the 5th inning, when the Blue Devils exploded six runs on seven hits.  They added another run in the 6th and entered the stretch with a comfortable lead, 8-4.  In the bottom of the 7th, the Cougars' offense was revived by a pair of back-to-back pinch-hit singles from all-WSC Outfielder Makani Nabarro and Brandt Munger.  Nabarro came around to score on an infield error to keep the Cougars in striking distance.  Freshman Pitcher Wren Woods, who making his season debut for the Cougars, held the Blue Devils scoreless for the remainder of regulation play, while also striking out three batters.  Woods continued to lockdown Merced's offense to the ninth inning, which kept the Cougars within striking distance.  In the bottom of the 9th, the Cougars had runners on base and two outs, when Hanavan waved a would be third strike, which allowed Hanavan to reach first base, while Columbo scored and Nabarro parked at third, as the potential tying run.  The Cougars all-WSC Catcher Jack Gradel, who was taking a break from backstop duties, entered the game and promptly lashed a single to score Nabarro and force extra innings.  Sophomore Right-hander Desi Lopez got the call from the bullpen to close the game and, after a leadoff single, he set down three straight batters to preserve the tie.  The Cougars finally closed the game, by loading the bases with a pair of walks and a hit by pitch, which set the stage for Nabarro, who lined a single to left to send Hansen home with the winning run and Lopez's first career victory. 

 

The Cougars, who are currently 16-12 on the season, shall resume their Western State Conference schedule next week with a three-game series against Los Angeles Pierce.  The Cougars shall host the Brahmas on Tuesday (2 PM) and Saturday (1 PM), while also playing an away game in Woodland Hills on Thursday (2 PM).