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“It feels good getting a close win. It brings out the competitors in all of us,” said Manager Ryan Stevens. “I’m super proud of what our arms did today – our bullpen, our starter Perez, MacDonald out of the bullpen. I’m really proud of those pitchers. We’re not always going to have our offense every game, and for them to pick us up today was huge.”

Right-handed pitcher Anthony Perez (Cal State East Bay) threw 5.0 innings, striking out three while holding the Knicks scoreless.

Left-handed pitcher Cort MacDonald (Stanford University) had three strikeouts and zero walks in his 3.0 innings while allowing just one hit.

Lincoln turned three double plays in the first five innings. Potter center fielder Kevin Gutierrez’ (William Jessup University) running catch helped keep the Knicks scoreless in the sixth inning, and JT Waldon’s (Folsom Lake College) eighth and ninth inning grabs deep in right field helped preserved the shutout.

The Potters broke the scoreless gridlock in the sixth inning. After Dan Pruitt (Oklahoma Baptist University) walked, Waldon slammed a double off the left field wall. Consecutive walks by Mattie Thomas (Cal State Northridge) and Troy Shields (Oklahoma Baptist University) gave the Potters a 1-0 lead.

Lincoln produced its insurance run in the seventh inning. Trey Furrey (Oklahoma Baptist University) singled and Pruitt walked. And when an errant throw sailed over the Knick first baseman, Furrey circled third and raced home.

Right-handed Potter pitcher Jacob Strmiska earned the save. With a Knick on third base and the Lincoln fans on their feet, Strmiska sealed the Potter win with consecutive strikeouts.

The Potters and Knicks will meet again at McBean Park tomorrow.

You can find tonight’s box score here.