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Cal Baseball loses to Arizona 8-5 in a crazy 13 inning games

Bears thought that they had won the game in B12 via a suicide squeeze only to have the umpire calling the batter out for alleged stepping on the home plate.

By Ruey Yen
Despite the loss on Friday night, the Golden Bears are very good at Evans Diamond in 2016.
Despite the loss on Friday night, the Golden Bears are very good at Evans Diamond in 2016.
Cal Baseball Facebook

So this game happened...

Bears offensive woes continued but they were able to capitalize on Arizona errors to score 3 unearned runs. In B9, Bears were able to fight back to send the game to extra innings. When Arizona went ahead again in T11, Bears were again down to their last out. 2nd baseman Robbie Tenerowicz hit a game tying homer for his 4th RBI of the game to make it 5-5.

After the fiasco that was B12, Cal reliever Alex Schick, who the Bears thought could have been their closer this year but got hurt before the season started, made his season debut - with runners on 1st and 2nd and just one out. Arizona's Aguilar hit a ball off the right field foul post to make it 8-5. That turns out to be the final margin.

The controversial B12 call on the game winning suicide squeeze is what will be remembered for this game. Since it is baseball, where a lot more games are played, I don't want to really compare this to the Cal-Arizona football game from 2014. It is not a good thing that memories of that game came to mind thanks to tonight's baseball contest.

Bears will try to salvage the finale tomorrow, in a game that will again not be televised. For my sanity and health, maybe that's for the best.

GO BEARS!

*******

California Golden Bears (22-12, 9-7 in Pac-12) vs. Arizona Wildcats (24-14, 8-8 in Pac-12)

Where: Evans Diamond (Berkeley, CA)

When: 7 pm

Radio: KALX

TV: ESPNU

Probable pitching matchup: RHP Jeff Bain (3-2, 3.35 ERA) vs. LHP JC Cloney (3-2, 2.76 ERA)

After being shutdown by Arizona ace Nathan Bannister on Friday (who had a dominant outing with 11 strikeouts) to lose 3-0, the Golden Bears will try to bounce back and snap a long Pac-12 scoreless streak dating back to last Saturday.

With senior Ryan Mason being skipped due to some "soreness", Bears used almost a midweek-like pitching lineup on Friday that only gave up three runs (two earned) in a rainy evening at Evans Diamond. Sophomore Jeff Bain will look to hold the Wildcats even more tonight as the Bears look to equalize this series.

Managing merely 3 hits and 3 walks on Friday, the biggest shock may be midseason Golden Spike listee Brett Cumberland being held to a 0 for 3 day, stranding several of his teammate on the bases in the process. Look for the Bears to unleash their frustration on lefty JC Cloney tonight. Cloney was skipped last week and went merely 2 innings against Washington State two weeks ago, allowing 4 runs (just 1 earned) in that outing.

Cal starter Jeff Bain had a quality start last time out, allowing 2 runs in 6.1 inning for a no-decision. After some inconsistency early on the season, Bain has really stepped up with Cal ace Daulton Jefferies out for the past few weeks.

GO BEARS!

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