Mariners' Baseball did not enjoy a memorable trip to Visalia over the recent weekend. The Mariners were swept by the College of Sequoias Giants in a series that culminated with an 11-1 walloping on Saturday. The noon start time did nothing to boost the Mariners spirits as the Giants blasted Marin starter Owen Hamilton to the tune of eight runs over the first three innings. Marin scored just a single unearned run in the third, raising their team total to 16 over the first six games of the season.
Both teams went in order in the first and the Mariners could not score in the second inning either. The scoreless game disappeared in second as the Giants put runners on second and third with one out. A ground out plated one and the following hitter singled to put Sequoias ahead 2-0. The next three hitters singled as the Giants led 4-0.
The Mariners clawed one back in the third as Jonathan Sumner singled and stole second with two outs. Anthony Pomilia's infield grounder was mishandled, allowing Sumner to come home and cut the lead to 4-1. Another error advanced Pomilia to third but he was stranded as the inning ended.
The Giants responded in a big way with another four spot in the third inning. Sequoias loaded the bases with two outs before a two-run double and a single coupled with an error pushed their advantage to 8-1. Both teams were held scoreless until the bottom of the eighth inning as the Giants scored three more runs to ice the game.
Hamilton was battered for eight runs and 11 hits in just three innings. Nick Kennison relieved Hamilton and pitched three scoreless while allowing just a single hit. Riley Cronin threw a scoreless inning before Tyler Shelley yielded three unearned runs in the eighth inning.
Marin scratched across only three hits, with Jonathan Sumner responsible for Marin's only run of the day.
They look to bounce back from a winless road trip with a game against Santa Rosa at home on Tuesday, February 4th.