The week of April 15th is hopefully one that will be quickly forgotten in Mariners' Baseball lore. College of Marin fell 17-2 to the Solano College Falcons on Friday to cap off an incredibly forgettable four loss week. The Mariners have dropped six of their last seven games after a 12-2 run in March and early April. Friday's loss to the Falcons saw a close game slip away late as a 2-1 deficit ballooned to 17-2 over the final few frames.
The Mariners failed to score in the top of the sixth despite a leadoff double and walk by Conor Bardue and Dionathan Cornet. A double play and strikeout ended the threat as Marin looked to comeback from a 2-1 deficit, however the bottom of the sixth all but assured a Mariners' defeat.
College of Marin starter Matthew Lozovoy pitched well through the first five innings allowing just a pair of first inning runs to Solano. Lozovoy retired the first two batters to start the sixth but allowed three consecutive singles to plate the Falcons' third run of the game. Michael Benz relieved Lozovoy but could not get an out as he allowed a single, and two walks to the first three batters he faced. A misplayed ball at short allowed two more runs to score as the home team put up five runs in total in the inning.
Leading 7-1, Solano did not rest in the seventh, putting up 10 more runs in the inning. Gross details to be avoided, but the Falcons compiled 10 runs on eight hits with a hit by pitch and two walks to their credit. With one out, six consecutive batters reached against Benz before Tyler Quintanilla took over on the hill. The Falcons showed no mercy racking up another four hits and six baserunners in total before a strikeout ended their slaughter in the seventh.
Marin pulled one run back in the eighth but all it did was slightly improve the final score line of 17-2. Lozovoy took the loss for the Mariners but was arguably their most effective pitcher, as he allowed only five runs in 5.2 innings. Benz pitched two thirds of an inning and was responsible or eight runs, six earned while Quintanilla allowed four runs, but only two earned in 1.1 innings.
Bardue and Cornet each had two hits for the Mariners while Solano's Isaiah Verrett was their top hitter with a single, double and triple to go with two runs scored and four batted in.
The Mariners' look to shake off the loss and rebound as they participate in the top bracket of the Bay Valley Conference tournament. They host the Los Medanos Mustangs on Tuesday, April 23th with first pitch scheduled for 2:30pm.