The idea behind split squad games this summer for the Merchants and Seals is to get hitters more at-bats and pitchers more innings. Basicially - to get more experience against quality competition so these young men return to their schools in the fall as better, more experienced ballplayers.

Fridays game in Palm Springs against the Palm Springs Power was a perfect example of this. While one half of the split squad dropped a 5-0 decision against the Menlo Park Legends, the other half of the split squad played tough against the Power - the reigning Southern California Collegiate Baseball League Champions - ultimately coming up on the losing end of a close 2-1 ballgame in front of over 1,000 fans in Palm Springs.

Miguel Villafane (Judson University) pitched very well for the Merchants in his first appearance of the summer. The junior from Illinois went 5 innings and only allowed one earned run. Conner McLaughlin (Indiana Tech) came through with some stellar relief for Alameda - pitching the last 3 innings of the contest and did not surrender a run. He walked none and struck out six.

Runs were hard to come by in this contest - as two Palm Springs pitchers combined to surrender only one run while striking out 11 Alameda batters. Alameda got its only run in the 2nd inning as Ty Koehring (Indiana Tech) led off the inning with a double. JP Soriano (Seminole State) followed that with a single, but Koehring was held up at 3rd. After a fielder's choice by Dakota Conners (CSUEB), Koehring scored to give the Merchants the 1-0 lead. That was the only run they could muster the rest of the night, as the bats went cold after that.

Alameda had another chance to score in the 7th. With two outs, Koehring got on base on an error and Soriano singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd. Conners singled to left, but Koehring was shot down at the plate to keep the score at 2-1.

Koehring finished the night 1 for 4 with a run scored. Soriano was 2 for 4. Conners was 1 for 2 with the lone RBI for the Merchants.

Alameda is hoping it's bats will wake up for game two of the series - which will be Saturday June 11th at 7pm.