Max Carter no-hit the University of Portland for 5 2/3 innings as CSU Bakersfield defeated the University of Portland 11-4 to open a four-game baseball series Thursday afternoon.
The senior righty did not allow a hit until Justin Thaxton recorded an opposite field single to left with two outs in the sixth. Carter would give up two hits in the top of the eighth including a three-run Cody Hawken home run before coming out of the game with a career high 11 strikeouts. Kenny Johnson tossed 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts in relief. All four of the Pilots’ runs were unearned.
“Max came out and threw a lot of strikes,” said CSUB interim head coach Jeremy Beard. “He mixed his pitches well and had command of the zone all day.”
Portland (1-3) did not score until the Pilots were down 10-0. CSUB scored once in the first, four in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth, three in the seventh, and one in the eighth. Mahlik Jones went 3-for-4 with three RBI’s as the Roadrunners (3-2) posted 15 hits. Mark Pena went 2-for-3 with two RBI’s and three runs scored. Jake Ortega was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and he had an RBI. Tyler Kaim and Ryan Grotjohn both tallied two hits.
“I thought we took quality at-bats all day long,” Beard said. “We did a nice job of getting to their starter right away. We were patient at the plate and made them throw good pitches for us to hit.”
The series continues Friday afternoon with a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Game one will be streamed on the Roadrunner Sports Network via Youtube.com. Game two is set for approximately 6 p.m. and will be heard on ESPN 98.1 FM/1230 AM with Corey Costelloe on the call beginning with the 5:45 p.m. pregame show.
