IRVINE, Calif. -- In the first week of the 2020 baseball season, the PacWest teams recorded a combined record of 10-5 against GNAC and CCAA teams led by Biola’s three-game sweep of No. 22 Cal State Monterey Bay.
The Eagles scored a combined 24 runs in three games against the Otters to record the sweep.
Larson Kindreich threw six shutout innings to earn the win in the first game. The third game was won 10-9 on a walk-off solo home run by
Ben Smith for his third hit of the game.
Hawai`i Hilo won a pair of early PacWest contests against Hawai`i Pacific. While rain prevented the whole series from being played, the Vulcans won the two conference games, 6-3 and 9-3.
Lawson Faria went 2 for 4 with two runs scored in the second game of the series.
Azusa Pacific opened the season with two wins in a three-game series against Chico State, which was picked fourth in the CCAA preseason poll. The Cougars’ pitchers allowed only one run in the opening doubleheader and
Casey Dykstra drove in both runs in the Cougars’ 2-1 win in the second game.
Concordia, Fresno Pacific and Holy Names all won their series. Concordia won two of three on the road against Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Haloa Dudoit scored twice and drove in three runs in Concordia’s second win of the series.
This week, Point Loma and UC San Diego will play against each other. The Tritons are ranked No. 3 in the nation. Azusa Pacific will play a three-game series at No. 22 Cal State Monterey Bay, and Academy of Art will open the season against Central Washington.
Weekly awards for week of Jan. 27-Feb. 2
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
RobertAnthony Cruz, Biola
2B/SS, Jr., 6-1 -- Riverside, Calif.
Cruz led Biola to a season-opening sweep of nationally-ranked No. 22 Cal State Monterey Bay with six hits in the three-game series. He opened the season a triple shy of the cycle, hitting a single, two doubles and a home run in five at bats with two runs and two RBIs. In the second game of the doubleheader, he reached on a walk and scored. Then in the series finale, Cruz hit another double and home run for a total of five extra-base hits in the series as he drove in three runs and scored twice more. Cruz also had a stolen base and only struck out once.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Larson Kindreich, Biola
LHP, So., 6-4 -- Central Point, Ore.
Kindreich earned the second PacWest weekly honor of his career by pitching six shutout innings against No. 22 Cal State Monterey Bay. He scattered three hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. He threw 95 pitches in his season debut as he earned the victory, which is the fourth of his career. The first four batters that Kindreich retired in the season opener were all on strikeouts, getting all four to go down swinging. It’s the second year in a row that Biola has started the season with three wins in a row.
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Shane Schick, Concordia
OF, Fr., 6-0 -- Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Schick went 4 for 9 on the first week of the 2020 season to help Concordia earn a pair of wins against Cal State Dominguez Hills. Schick recorded a hit in each of his first four career plate appearances. In the season opener, he went 3 for 3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. In the second game of the series, he scored twice after reaching on a single and a hit-by-pitch.