HONOLULU, HI – Menlo College Baseball opened its PacWest road trip in the islands Sunday evening with a doubleheader against the Chaminade University Silverswords, dropping a pair of tightly contested games. In the opener, Menlo erased deficits twice and tied the game in the ninth on Jack Nammack's first home run of the season. The nightcap followed a similar script, as Matt Morrison launched his second homer of the day and the Oaks created traffic on the bases throughout.
Menlo Statistical Leaders
Matt Morrison (G1+2): 4-for-6, 3 RBI, 2 runs, 1 BB, 2 HR
Oliver Hogan (G1): 2-for-4, 1 run, 2 doubles
Jack Nammack (G1+2): 2-for-7, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 HR, 1 SB, 1 double
Javier DaRosa Fonseca Jr. (G1): 1-for-2, 1 RBI, 1 run, 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 sacrifice bunt
Noah Pang (G1+2): 3-for-6, 1 sacrifice bunt
Noah Morton (G2): 2-for-3, 1 double
Jack van Gorkum (G2): 1-for-1, 1 RBI
Game 1: Menlo 5 - 6 Chaminade
Menlo struck first in the opening inning when Oliver Hogan lined a double to center and came around to score on Matt Morrison's RBI single through the left side. The Silverswords answered immediately in the bottom half, capitalizing on a defensive miscue to tie the game before adding another run on an RBI single to take a 1-2 lead.
The Oaks pulled even again in the third as Javier DaRosa Fonseca Jr. worked a walk and eventually scored on a Shane Aldridge RBI fielder's choice. Pitching kept the game locked in a tight battle through the middle innings, highlighted by two scoreless frames from Trey Silva out of the bullpen. Menlo reclaimed the lead in the sixth when Morrison blasted a solo home run to center field, but Chaminade countered with a solo homer and an RBI single in the bottom half to jump ahead 3-4.
Menlo continued to battle late. DaRosa Fonseca Jr. delivered another clutch moment in the seventh with a towering solo home run to left-center, and Jack Nammack tied the game in the ninth with a solo blast to left field that evened the score at 5-5. The Silverswords ultimately walked it off in the bottom of the ninth after a triple put the winning run at third and a balk allowed him to score, handing the Oaks a heartbreaking 5-6 defeat.
Game 2: Menlo 2 - 6 Chaminade
The second game opened as a tight pitchers' duel with both teams generating early traffic on the bases. Noah Morton highlighted Menlo's early chances with a double into the right-center gap in the second inning, but the Oaks were unable to bring him home. Chaminade broke through first in the third inning with an RBI single to grab a 0-1 lead.
Menlo quickly answered in the fourth as Matt Morrison continued his standout day at the plate, launching a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 1-1. The Silverswords responded in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to regain the lead, and the Oaks threatened again in the fifth when Mason Hanshaw singled and Jack Nammack doubled to left-center, but a defensive play at the plate cut down the tying run.
Chaminade created separation in the sixth inning with a four-run rally fueled by a triple, an RBI double, and a string of timely hits, extending the lead to 1-6. Menlo showed fight in the seventh when Tyson Brown singled, Javier DaRosa Fonseca Jr. walked, and Jack van Gorkum drove in a run with a single to left-center. The Oaks continued to apply pressure but could not close the gap, as the Silverswords secured the 2-6 win to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Up Next…
The Oaks will have one more chance to take on the Silverswords on Monday, March 16th with a doubleheader beginning at 5pm PST. This is a series you do not want to miss, follow along at Menloathletics.com!
