Kingsmen Give a Bit Extra, 8-7

The moment called for savvy veterans, players hardened by countless close, intense ballgames.

Cal Lutheran and Claremont-Mudd, both unbeaten in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, were locked in an extra-inning battle for first place.

It was a pair of freshmen, however, who played decisive roles in the Kingsmen’s 8-7 victory Friday at Cal Lutheran.

Freshman Eric Buben drilled a double to the right-center-field gap to score Rik Work from first base with the winning run in the 11th, making a winning pitcher of freshman Eric Kiszczak (6-0).

Cal Lutheran (20-6-1, 13-0 in SCIAC play) visits Claremont (21-10, 12-1) today for a doubleheader.

Kiszczak, who retired five in a row after surrendering a double to the first batter he faced in the 10th, will start the first game.

Coach Marty Slimak reluctantly summoned the freshman after reliever Rudy Lesko began to tire. Lesko threw 92 pitches in six innings, his longest outing of the season, and shut out Claremont from the sixth through the ninth.

Lesko threw late to second base on a bunt by Bryan Coin with none out in the 10th, and after a sacrifice bunt by Mike Cook put runners on second and third, Slimak went to Kiszczak.

T.J. Rodgers fouled off four of Kiszczak’s fastballs before doubling to right field, giving Claremont a 7-5 lead.

Cal Lutheran tied the score with two out in the bottom of the inning. Adam Rauch tripled to score Mike Young, and after a walk to Matt Moore, Sean Smith hit a ground ball to shortstop Karl Bracken.

Moore was running on the pitch with two out and a full count, and Bracken had to reset his feet after realizing he couldn’t force Moore at second. The throw to first was low and Rauch scored the tying run.

Cal Lutheran also came back early in the game after Andrew Barber gave up four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Claremont led, 4-1, before the Kingsmen scored three in the fourth.

Moore stole home with two out and a two-strike count on Work to tie the score. The pitch was high and Moore slid under the tag.

“That was my mistake, I thought the count was one and one,” Slimak said. “I yelled, ‘Take, take, take,’ and in that situation a pitcher isn’t gonna throw a strike.”

Work, Cal Lutheran’s leading hitter, had a double and two singles and scored three runs.

“They threw me 90% curves and because I have an inside-out swing, they were playing right into my hands,” Work said.