On April 3, APU’s baseball team played an exhibition game against the Rancho
Cucamonga Quakes, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ single-a affiliate, at the Rancho Cucamonga
Epicenter. APU lost 13-3, but the players were given a chance to play a professional team and gain experience on the competitive level. According to junior business major and left-handed pitcher Michael Finnigan, it was worth it.
“The game was an amazing experience. I had a great time, in a way, living the life of a
professional baseball player for the night,” Finnigan said.
Johnathan Erb was the star of the game, hitting a two-run home run over the right field wall during the eighth inning with APU behind the Quakes 13-1. Erb’s father was named APU’s honorary coach and watched the game from the dugout as his son hit the home run.
Junior finance major and right-handed pitcher Noah Northrop started the game with one run on one hit in the first inning. Junior physical education major and left-handed pitcher Jesus Del Rosario took over for Northrop in the second inning and pitched for the next three innings with two hits and one run. Sophomore business administration major and right-handed pitcher Hunter Brown then took over in the fifth inning and pitched a perfect frame.
The first hit from the Cougar’s came from senior social science major Jordan Leyland, hitting a hard grounder that went between second and third base in the first inning. The first RBI of the night was hit by senior physical education major J.C. Aguayo who ended up hitting 1-for-3. Leyland’s only successful hit was a home run and finished the game with 1-for-2.
Senior applied health major and shortstop Sammy Soyring ended the game 1-for-2. Third
baseman Brendan Casey, shortstop Anthony Rodriguez and catchers Matt Page and Danny
Gonzales each got one hit against the Quakes’ and their eight pitchers.