Cal Baseball Week in Review May 1st, 2013

After finally winning another Pac-12 conference series last weekend at home against Washington State, the Bears traveled up to Seattle to play 3 games against a surging Washington Huskies team, who were one of the few teams behind the Bears in the conference standings. After playing pretty much the equivalent of 4 games, inning-wise, the Bears escaped Washington with a 2-1 record before clobbering Pacific in Stockton on Tuesday night.

Friday, April 26, 2013: Cal 2, Washington 3 (12 innings)

• SP Ryan Mason: 8.2 IP, 1 ER, 2K, 9H, 0BB
• 2B Brenden Farney: 2 for 6, 1 2B
• LF Brian Celsi: 2 for 4, 2 Runs, 1 BB
• SS Mike Reuvekamp: 3 for 5

It was a pitching duel between Cal starter Ryan Mason and Washington starter Jared Fisher (who went 9 IP, allowing just 1 run) during the regulation. The was tied 1-1 going into extra innings when the Bears became the first to breakthrough in the top of the 12th. Devin Pearson singled in Brian Celsi with two outs to score the go ahead run. Brenden Farney followed with another single but Mike Reuvekamp was gunned down at the plate for the final out. With the Bears's best reliever, senior Logan Scott, already in the game, things were looking positive for the Bears. Unfortunately, Logan Scott started the inning by hitting a Husky batter. A single and an error (fielding the bunt) allowed the bases to be loaded with no outs. Ryan Werternberger came in the game and promptly threw a wild pitch which the Bears almost turned into an out but the tying run slid in under the tag. Two batters later, Washington scored the winning run with one out.

Saturday, April 27, 2013: Cal 8, Washington 1

• SP Trevor Hildenberger: 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BB, 5 K
• SS Mike Reuvekamp: 1 for 5, 1 Run, 1 RBI
• 2B Brenden Farney: 2 for 3, 1 Run, 1 RBI, 2 BB
• DH Devon Rodriguez: 2 for 4, 1 Run, 1 RBI
• 3B Mitchell Kranson: 2 for 5, 1 Run, 3 RBI

In only his 2nd career start, Cal pitcher Trevor HildenBerger shutdown the Huskies. The game was actually scoreless until the 6th inning when Cal put up a 5 spot. 3 more runs in the top of the 9th sealed the victory for the Bears. Coach David Esquer tried to spark the offense by inserting SS Mike Reuvekamp as the leadoff hitter.

Sunday, April 28, 2013: Cal 6, Washington 5 (14)

• RP Keaton Siomkin: 4.1 IP, 6 Hits, 2 BB, 3 K
• RP Colin Monsour: W, 2 IP, 2 Hits, 1 BB
• LF Brian Celsi: 2 for 7, 1 Run, 2 K
• 2B Brenden Farney: 2 for 6, 2 Runs
• C Andrew Knapp: 3 for 6, 3 RBI
• RF Chris Paul: 1 for 6, 2 Run, 2 Run Homer

The Bears played another marathon game in the rubber game. After starter Dylan Nelson gave up 5 runs in the second, the Bears slowly tied things up by the 5th innings (with a two run homers by Chris Paul and some timely hit). New leadoff guy Brian Celsi went 2 for 7 in this one. In the top of the 14th, the Bears managed to load the bases with two outs. A wild pitch allowed the Bears to score the go-ahead run. Unlike Friday, Collin Monsour had no problem closing out the Huskies to give the Bears a back-to-back Pac-12 series win.

Senior Justin Jones deserve a special note for appearing in all three games in relief. The former starter is still the inning pitched leader for the Bears this season.

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013: Cal 13, Pacific 2

• 2B Brenden Farney: 2 for 6, 1 Run
• C Andrew Knapp: 3 for 4, 3 Run, 2 RBI, HR
• CF Devon Pearson: 4 for 5, 3 Run, 2 RBI
• 1B Nick Halamandaris: 3 for 5, 1 Run, 3 RBI, HR
• SS Chris Paul: 1 for 5, 2 Run, 3 RBI, HR
• Kyle Porter: 4 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BB, 1 K

The Bears closed the week with a pounding of the Pacific Tigers. Jake Schulz started the game and threw 3 innings. The Bears put up crooked number for the first 8 innings to win this one easily.

Hitter of the Week:

2B Brenden Farney went 8 for 21 to win this week's award.

Honorable Mention: LF Brian Celsi, C Andrew Knapp, 3B Mitchell Kranson

Pitcher of the Week:

With the Bears desperate for a W, Trevor Hildenberger stepped up in the Saturday game for the Bears.

Honorable Mention: Justin Jones (appeared in all 3 games during the weekend), Ryan Mason, Keaton SIomkin

Pac-12 Baseball Standings:

Articles about Cal Baseball:

Daily Cal have an article about DH Devon Rodriguez. I didn't realize that Devon Rodriguez has been playing hurt all year long.

After a solid freshman season in 2010, Rodriguez had an even better 2011 as the program fought for reinstatement after being cut. In one of the most exciting moments in Cal baseball history, Rodriguez hit a two-RBI walk-off single to right field to cap a four-run ninth inning and win the NCAA Houston Regional final.

"It was a real roller coaster ride," Devon says. "I didn’t know if I was going to be around. I thought I was going to have to go play somewhere else. It was our rallying call."

Rodriguez was named the Most Outstanding Player of that regional. He was set to be a star in the 2012 season, likely on his way to the MLB draft.

But before the start of last season, Rodriguez hurt his right knee. A life-threatening blood clot formed in his leg and forced him to take blood thinners for the remainder of the season, limiting him to only 11 at-bats.

With a medical redshirt year granted by the NCAA, Rodriguez prepared himself for a comeback year in 2013. But in the last scrimmage of fall 2012, he dislocated his shoulder while sliding into second base.

Unable to throw a baseball without causing inflammation in his shoulder, Rodriguez has been limited to the designated hitter role for most of this season. Surgery is no longer a question of if but of when. Instead of signing a professional contract this summer, Rodriguez will be recovering from arthroscopic surgery to the labrum.

Physically, Rodriguez should not be playing baseball right now. Yet he is the only Cal player who has started every game this season. If he had opted for surgery at the time of the injury, he would have sat out another season. But for someone whose favorite memories are all baseball-related, sitting out for two consecutive seasons was too much to bear.

CalBears.com have an feature on C Andrew Knapp.

Coming to Cal to play baseball had been a dream of Knapp's since he was young enough to play catch with his father Mike and listen to his dad's adventures of being the starting catcher on coach Bob Milano's squad in 1985 and 1986.

"I started coming to Cal baseball games at Evans Diamond when I was about seven," Knapp said. "I remember watching future big leaguers like Brett Jackson and Tyson Ross as a teenager and picturing myself playing for Cal someday."

"It was a great day for me and my family when Andrew decided to make Cal his home," Mike Knapp explained. "Cal is a big part of my family's life and to have my son attend such a tremendous university is truly a blessing. Not only is it awesome to see my son play on the same field I played on, but also for my parents to be able to see Andrew play on the same field that they watched me play is very special. It was interesting during the recruiting process. I tried really hard not to push Cal too hard because I wanted Andrew to make his own decision. I have to say I could not see myself wearing anything but the Blue and Gold."

Knapp contributions to that magical 2011 season - besides playing in 29 games and starting 15 contests with three doubles, a home run and 15 RBI - was teaming up with fellow freshmen Eric Walbridge and Derek Campbell to create the "Save Cal Baseball" rap video that became an internet sensation and expressed the plight of the Cal baseball program in a humorous and creative manner.

"The video came about when Eric, Derek and I were bored in our dorm room and decided to make a video," said Knapp. "It ended up being much more popular than we had intended. We were trying to make a joke out of the situation, but I think that it ultimately ended up giving our situation media coverage and helping raise some money for reinstating the program."

Coming Up Next:

The Bears play their last road series at the home of the No. 5 Oregon State squad. After that, the Bears would return to Berkeley to host ASU, Furd, and Gonzaga for one game. All 4 of these teams have been ranked at one time or another this year. For the Bears to have a 0.500 record, they would need to go 6-4. Given the quality of the opponents, a 6-4 record to close the season might be enough to send the Bears to the post season.

GO BEARS!