HAYWARD, CA

On a cloudy day in the East Bay city of Hayward, the Oaks lost their first road game of the season to the Pioneers. Menlo's record now stands at 2-2 overall.

East Bay scored the game's only run in the bottom of the 1st, and there was not much offense to speak of for either side in the succeeding 8 innings. Each team notched just 2 hits, with both starting pitchers totaling 7 strikeouts. 

Menlo's starter, senior right-hander Brock Moore, allowed just 2 hits and 1 walk in 7.0 innings of work. German reliever Joshua Spezia came in for the bottom of the 8th, and faced the minimum number of batters while allowing no hits or walks and tallying a strikeout.

One of Menlo's hits came off the bat of senior Erik Quinzon, who lined a double to left field in the top of the 4th. The other hit came in the top of the 8th, when Sean Pettener laced a 1-out single to right field. In the ensuing at-bat, Anthony Masetti grounded a ball to the left side of the infield, which the shortstop flipped to the second baseman. Pettener, knowing he would be tagged out, took a hard slide into the bag in a textbook example of "breaking up the double play." The slide knocked the second baseman off his feet, and after several minutes of discussion, the umpires decided to charge Pettener with interference. As a result, Masetti was called out at first base. Just when it appeared that the Oaks could be getting a foothold in the later stages of the game, that call blunted any momentum Menlo may have been gaining.

These teams will play again tomorrow, February 4th, at Cartan Field in Atherton. First pitch for the standalone game is scheduled for 12:00 PM.