It can be difficult for a pitcher to find his form after a redshirt year, but for the Mariners Chrit Rudkin it was only a matter of time for him to find his old dominant self. Rudkin had 10 strikeouts in seven innings pitched as the Mariners scored early against Yuba and sailed to a 7-1 home victory.
The game was pushed back a day due to rains, but the Wednesday start did not defer Marin from scoring seven unanswered runs by the end of the fourth inning. College of Marin got on the board in the bottom of the second inning with as Alex Davis and James Harwell led off with back to back doubles to put the home team up 1-0. Consecutive singles followed to load the bases before a fielder's choice doubled their advantage to 2-0. After reloading the bases with one out, Marcus Chiu lined an RBI single and MacLean Meyn followed with a two out, bases loaded walk for Marin's fourth run of the inning.
Meyn was at it again in the bottom of the fourth as he stepped to the plate in following one out singles by Chiu and Jake Munoz. The occasionally Ruthian Meyn did his best Bambino impression with a monstrous three run home run to give the Mariners a 7-0 advantage.
On the hill, Rudkin was excellent from the get go as he limited Yuba to a single hit and two walks through the first six innings. He ran into his only trouble in the top of the seventh as a Yuba batter reached third on a one out double and a wild pitch. A two out RBI single scored Yuba's only run of the game but Rudkin bore down to retire the visiting team.
It was Yuba's only threat as Bryan Jakiemiec relieved Rudkin in the top of the eighth and held the visitors scoreless through the final two innings of play.
Meyn was the offensive juggernaut on Wednesday as he had a home run and four RBI on the day. Chrit Rudkin allowed just three hits and one run in seven innings on the mound while striking out the opposition ten times.
The Mariners face Yuba again, this time in Marysville on Thursday, March 23rd.