Game 3 Recap
California 10, Alcorn State 6
HOUSTON – California's Justin Jones struck out 10 and allowed just two hits in 6 1/3 innings of long relief as the Golden Bears defeated Alcorn State 10-6 in an elimination game of the NCAA Houston Regional played Saturday at Reckling Park.
With the win, Cal (32-21) advances to a 2 p.m. game Sunday against the loser of Saturday night's game between Rice and Baylor. Alcorn State, which was playing in its first NCAA Regional, finishes its season with a 27-30 record.
Jones (8-6) entered the game in the second inning, inheriting a pair of runners and the Golden Bears trailing 4-0. He would get the first batter he faced to fly out to center field and did not give up a hit until the seventh when Alcorn State's Angel Rosa reached on an infield single.
Jones would get plenty of run in the third as the Golden Bears scored six runs.
California catcher Chadd Krist, who went 3-for-5 at the plate, drove in a pair of runs with a double. After a walk issued to Devin Rodriguez, Mitch Delfino reached on a two-out fielding error by Alcorn's Antolin Morales at third, scoring Krist. A two-run double by Chad Bunting gave the Golden Bears a 5-4 lead.
Following a double by Darrel Matthews which scored Bunting, Alcorn State starting pitcher Troy Williams (7-6) was relieved by Brent Blaum who struck out Vince Bruno to end the inning.
Blaum worked his way out of bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning and the Bears also stranded a runner at third in the fifth.
Blaum would go 4 1/3 innings in relief, giving up just two hits. The Braves trailed just 6-4 when the Brave reliever exited the game after the seventh inning.
Cal would add a run in the eighth and three more in the 10th, including two on an errant throw that would have ended the inning.
Alcorn State got on the board first, scoring four runs in the home half of the second inning.
Morales singled through the left side of the infield then scored from first on a double to the left center wall by Eduardo Gonzalez. Gonzalez would move to third on an errant throw in an attempt to pick him off second, then scored on a groundout by Jann Butler.
Kenny Rowan and Ryan Akins would add back-to-back base hits for Alcorn before Brandon Hollins singled up the middle to drive in Rowan. Akins would later score on a hit and run delivered by Angel Rosa that chased Cal starting pitcher Troy Williams. Through the first two days of the regional, Cal starting pitchers have combined for just four innings of work.
California 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 1 3 – 10 10 3
Alcorn State 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 - 6 9 4
Miller, Jones (2) and Krist; Williams, Blaum (3), Vicars (7) and Salas. 2B – Krist, Bunting, Matthews; Perdomo, Gonzalez. Win – Jones (8-6). Loss – Williams (7-6). Time – 3:09. Attendance – 2,428.
