CYPRESS, CA – The Cypress College baseball team fell to the Cabrillo Seahawks in Friday's season opener at home, 5-1. The Chargers entered the game ranked No. 3 in Southern California, while Cabrillo held a No. 6 ranking in Northern California.
Sophomore Jake Mahood (L, 0-1) received the loss for Cypress after earning the start on opening day. Mahood allowed 3 earned runs on 5 hits and collected 8 strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Dylan Gordan (W, 1-0) earned the win for Cabrillo, giving up 1 earned run on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
After three scoreless innings to start the game, Cabrillo jumped out in front with a two-out rally in the top of the fourth inning. With two on and two out, Easton Vidales slapped an RBI double to right field to get on the board. Rex Gomez followed that up with a 2RBI single to right, giving the Seahawks a 3-0 lead.
The Chargers answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman catcher Eric Bigani (3-for-4) reached on a single to centerfield before scoring the Chargers' only run of the afternoon on an Aaron Simpson (0-for-5, RBI) groundout.
Cabrillo would go on to add one run in the sixth followed by another in the eighth to take a commanding 5-1 lead. The Chargers were unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position, finishing the game with 10 runners stranded, ultimately resulting in an opening day loss.
Cypress baseball will return to action in a rematch with Cabrillo on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
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