The Cal baseball team’s junior first baseman David Cooper packed his whooping stick Saturday morning against Utah Valley State, smacking two long home runs in the Bears’ 12-1 victory in the first half of a doubleheader. Cooper went 2-for-4 and accounted for five of Cal’s 12 runs, smacking a line-drive home run over the 365-foot sign in left field to kick off the scoring in the second inning, then blasting a mammoth grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning that probably still hasn’t landed.

Cooper’s shot off of starting pitcher Dan Christensen traveled over the scoreboard in left field and kept going into Edwards Track Stadium, a feat I’ve only seen once in three years of covering Cal baseball, and that was by power hitter Jordan Karnofsky. But Cooper wasn’t alone in the longball parade, as the fifth place hitter, senior Josh Satin, displayed some power of his own in the very next at-bat, taking relief pitcher Craig Stringham deep to left center field. Satin’s home run bounced off of the RSF’s fieldhouse, about halfway up on the building. I can easily say I’ve never seen Satin tag a pitch that solidly. His new swing that he switched to at the end of last year seems to be working very well. The senior second baseman was 1-for-4 on the game with two runs scored.

Sophomore Brett Jackson also went long for his first roundtripper of the season to make the score 2-0 in the second inning. Jackson went 3-for-4 with two triples to go along with his four-bagger, and scored three runs with two RBI.

But it wasn’t all smiles for the Bears on Saturday morning, as after the fourth inning, junior starting catcher and team captain Charlie Cutler had to be taken out of the game after he broke his pinky finger diving into first base. Cutler was seen later in the game collecting his catching equipment with heavy tape on the finger. Cutler was not available to start the second game of the twin bill and will probably be on the shelf until late next week.  Said Cutler, “I’m not tripping.”  Cutler might not miss too much time, as the heavy storm that has rolled in may knock out the rest of this weekend’s slate.

After the injury to Cutler, junior lefty Craig Bennigson didn’t miss a beat throwing to new catcher Dylan Tonneson. Bennigson pitched seven strong innings, striking out six while allowing only four hits and walking one. Other than some early control problems, Bennigson looked very solid. He was popping the mitt with his fastballs and definitely looks like he’s been working on his velocity over the off season.

As an aside, Rich Gorman is a dynamo for this offense. He fits some impressive skill and tons of hustle into his 5-foot-8 frame. Watching him motor around the bases and slide headfirst is a real treat. Coach David Esquer has said of Gorman that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get on base and set the table, and after watching him for the past two games, I see what he means. Gorman’s a scrappy player and reminds me a lot of the Houston Astros’ Craig Biggio.

Speaking of tough, sophomore Blake Smith - who more than deserved to be a Freshman All-American last season but didn’t get it - was taking some serious damage today. In the top of the fifth, he sprinted from right field into foul territory and didn’t even slow down when he hit the low fence of the indoor batting cage facility down the right field line. Smith did a full flip over the fence and from where I was sitting, all I could see was a gloved hand raised high from his position on the ground for the umpire to see. Amazing catch.

Then, in the seventh inning, Smith took a fastball to the back without even flinching to set up Cooper’s grand slam. Later on, he began warming up in the bullpen before Esquer decided to use true freshman Kevin Miller to finish off the game.

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