The revamped baseball diamond at Bellarmine was appropriate for a retooled team as the Bells routed Santa Cruz 13-0 Saturday in a non-league game.
Led by pitcher Corby Punian, Bellarmine (10-3) relentlessly scored runs on the Cardinals and barely broke a sweat. In a notable fifth inning, Bellarmine scored nine runs and nearly went through their lineup twice.
Ironically, Santa Cruz (2-9) defeated Bellarmine 8-3 last season.
“We were aggressive with the bats, and that’s really something that we’ve been trying to work on,” Bellarmine coach Mike Rodriguez said. “We also did a good job of pounding the zone with strikes.”
That was especially true in the middle of the game when pitchers Punian, Connor Ridley and Joe Schymeinsky struck out six Cardinals consecutively. Santa Cruz managed to get two hits all game, in comparison to Bellarmine’s 17.
“I got ahead early in the count, and I didn’t walk anybody, which was great,” Punian noted. “I’m trying to limit the number of walks and to attack the zone early.”
The Bells took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, with Alec Iniguez scoring.
The Bells tested Santa Cruz pitcher Brock Theilen's poise from the outset, taking big leads and making the Cardinal pitcher throw over frequently. It seemed to hinder his concentration.
Bellarmine, on the other hand, was very efficient on the mound, not allowing more than three or four Cardinals to step to the plate per inning, despite frequent pitching changes.
“We gave a few guys a couple opportunities that they haven’t had,” Rodriguez said about their lineup. “We’re into league now, so it’s not often that we get some guys who haven’t had the work that they would like an opportunity, and that’s what we wanted to do today.”
The Bells used a different pitcher in the fifth, sixth and seventh and none of them allowed a hit.
Meantime, the Bells flexed their muscles against Santa Cruz reliever Jett Gallagher in the fifth inning, highlighted by Tyler Bindi's three-run triple to break the game open. Bellarmine sent 14 batters to the plate in the inning, including Joey Persons who was plunked by pitches twice in the frame.
Scotty Jarvis was a standout both offensively and defensively for Bellarmine, going 2 for 2 at the plate. He also walked and scored a run.
In the end, Bellarmine's more solid pitching led by Punian gave the Bells the edge.
“I don’t really see myself as anybody special on the team,” Punian said humbly. “I just want to give my team the best chance to win.”
