SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team (1-2) split Saturday's doubleheader against Biola (2-1) with a 9-8 win in the first game for head coach Jose Garcia's first collegiate victory before the Cougars fell 6-0 to the Eagles in the second game at CSUSM Baseball Field.
 
GAME 1: CSUSM 9 – BU 8
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Ethan Rivera – 2-for-4 | 2 RBIs | 2 R | 1 2B | 1 BB
Niko Diaz – 3-for-5 | 1 RBI | 1 R
Jake Adams – 3-for-4 | 2 R | 1 RBI
Pat MacDonald Jr. – 4.0 IP | 6 K | 2 H | 1 BB | 0 R
Preston Kelly – 1.0 IP | 2 K
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Cougars began the scoring in the bottom of the first as Rivera ripped an RBI double to right center and scored Sean McGrew.
• CSUSM took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single through the right side by Adams, a failed pickoff attempt that scored Jesus Lopez and an RBI groundout to short by Diaz.
• Biola halved CSUSM's lead in the top of the fifth with a solo shot to center by James Whitman before Matthew Nyce scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Tyler White.
• The Cougars went up 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single up the middle by Anthony Pacino.
• A five-run fifth by the Eagles gave them the lead at 7-5 with a bases-loaded walk by Whitman, another sacrifice fly by Matthew Nyce and a three-run blast to right center by Brendan Bell.
• CSUSM regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth with three-bases loaded walks by Rivera, Emilio Luna and Luke Reece before Rivera scored on an RBI groundout to short by Nick Schnopp to make it 9-7.
• A wild pitch in the top of the seventh allowed Austin Carrillo to score and put Biola within one at 9-8.
• Entering his first relief appearance since 2020, Preston Kelly shut the door on the Eagles in the top of the ninth with two strikeouts and a fly out to center to earn the save.

 
QUICK HITS

• Luca Staiano (1-0) was the pitcher of record when CSUSM retook the lead and earned his first collegiate win as he posted one strikeout and allowed one run on two hits in two-thirds on an inning.
• Biola reliever Andrew Zittel (0-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on two hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch in two-thirds of an inning.
• Cougar starter Pat MacDonald Jr. tossed four scoreless innings while striking out six and allowing just two hits and a walk on 63 pitches.
• The Cougars temporarily regained the all-time series lead against the Eagles at 15-14.

 
GAME 2: CSUSM 0 – BU 6 (6)
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Emilio Luna – 1-for-3
Christian Becerra – 1.1 IP | 2 K | 0 H | 0 R
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Biola's first run came in the top of the first as Tyler White scored on an RBI groundout to third by Wyatt Duncan.
• A four-run fourth by the Eagles included a Sam Lisiak two-run double, an RBI sacrifice bunt by Matthew Nyce and a two-run double by Jonathan Smith to give the Eagles a 5-0 lead.
• Luna broke up the Eagles' no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth with a screamer off the bat that was knocked down by the first baseman.
• James Whitman scored on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth to put Biola up 6-0.
• Scheduled to be a seven-inning contest, the game was called after six innings due to encroaching darkness.

 
QUICK HITS

• Biola starter Blake Wentz (1-0) earned the win after allowing one hit and five walks while striking out two in 5.2 innings.
• CSUSM starter Nolan Long (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs on five hits and three walks while striking down five in 3.2 innings.
• With yesterday's win, the Eagles took the series.
• Both teams are knotted up at 15-15 in the all-time series.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will host Montana State Billings in a four-game series beginning on Thursday at 1 p.m. at CSUSM Baseball Field.