California pitchers walked 11 Eugene batters and gave up nine hits Monday night as the Eagles topped the Pintos 17-8 in the season opener for both squads.
"You've got to throw the ball over the plate, catch the ball and put the ball in play offensively, and we didn't do that very well today," first-year California head coach Matt Moulder said. "It's early in the season. This is a starting-from-scratch, building blocks situation. We are what we are, and we're going to be a work in progress for a while."
The Eagles batted through their lineup to start the game. During the six-run first inning, the Eagles had four hits, walked three times and were hit by a pitch once. California also committed an error.
During Eugene's nine-run fourth inning, four Eagles walked, one was hit by a pitch, one reached on an error and three got hits.
The Pintos got some help on the mound when Jacob Adams came in with one out in the fourth, only allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out two and only walked two.
"He was probably the highlight of the mound work today certainly," Moulder said. "... We've got eight or 10 guys that we think can be potential pitchers for us, and up to this point I couldn't tell you who our best guys is and who our No. 10 guy is. We're just trying to figure a few things out and see who can be consistent."
Adams hit two batters in the fifth, but stranded the runners at first and second by getting a popout and a flyout.
In the sixth, Adams walked Brent Adrian and Blake Rains with one out before Mason Kirkweg found the left-field corner for a double to drive in Adrian. Chase Dickerson then reached on an error, allowing Rains to cross the plate. But Adams got out of the inning with limited damage, getting Jarin Limbach to ground out and striking out David Liftin.
Corey Love doubled to the gap in right with one out in the seventh, but was caught stealing third and Caleb Darnel flied out. But the help on the mound was too late, as three of the Pintos' four batters in the seventh struck out to seal the win for the Eagles.
California didn't do well in the field with seven errors, but the Pintos did turn a triple play in the third inning. Limbach and Liftin walked to lead off the third, but Jacob Adrian slapped a grounder to shortstop Kory Stephens, who tagged Limbach, threw to Landon
Mouse at second before Mouse threw it to Jackson Trachsel at first in time for the third out.
"Certainly the highlight defensively," Moulder said. "That was an interesting little way to get out of a big jam. Kory handled the play and made the right decision."
Mouse started on the mound for the Pintos, walking two and hitting another in just two-thirds of an inning. He allowed five runs (one earned) on two hits. Hunter Heimericks and Brayden Ash both took the mound in relief before Adams was able to stop the bleeding.
Ash took the loss, allowing seven runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks in one-third of an inning.
Kirkweg, a sophomore, earned the win for Eugene, only allowing a single run on three hits with a walk and eight strikeouts in four innings of relief.
"We're going to rely on that young arm for most of the season, and hopefully it continues," said assistant coach Jef Burrow, who was in charge Monday for an ill Mark Richard.
Kirkweg struggled at first, surrendering an RBI single to Trachsel in the fourth, but struck out two in the fifth and sixth and three in the seventh. The Pintos were trying to attack his fastball, but they couldn't make contact.
"That's his favorite pitch, he has good control over the plate with it," Burrow said. "He throws in some off-speed here and there, but he relies on that fastball."
Corey Love pitched the first three innings for the Eagles, retiring California in order in the first and only allowing a double to Cade Knipp in the third. But the Pintos scored seven runs on five hits, a walk and two errors in the second to take a 7-6 lead.
Dickerson led the Eugene bats, collecting two hits and four RBI. Love had two hits and an RBI.
"We were seeing the ball, we were making contact and that's something we've struggled with in the past," Burrow said. "Hopefully we can build on that."
Stephens and Mouse each had two hits and an RBI for California. Knipp also had two hits.