By Juan Garcia
Reporter
The CSU Bakersfield wrestling team beat Oregon State 21-20 on Saturday night against Oregon State due to a pin by CSUB senior Bryce Hammond in the 174-pound match that gave the win by first criteria, most six-point victories.
“That was the goal, go out there and get the six-points.” said redshirt-senior Bryce Hammond (14-3). “I knew we were going to need it and fortunately I got it.”
A pin is awarded six points to the teams overall score and is also criteria in breaking ties.
“That made the difference in the match for us, it came down to criteria and we had a pin which helped give us the victory.” said Mendoza.
Hammond is ranked 7th in the country for his weight class. Hammond pinned his opponent redshirt freshman Tyler Chay (9-12) of Oregon state with 54 seconds left in the first period and a final score of 16-2. “Overall the guys really fought hard and that’s what we really needed to win this dual.” said Hammond.
“We knew coming in that is was going to be a battle,” said head coach Mike Mendoza. “This is a tough team and we that coming in that it would be a battle.”
In the 149-pound division CSUB redshirt-sophomore Coleman Hammond (19-9) nearly adds a six-point pin to the team score as he nearly pinned Oregon State redshirt-junior Joey Delgado (17-9) of Oregon State.
“I just couldn’t get him flat.” said C. Hammond. “I just need to work on that position a little bit more. The third period I was not were I wanted to be.”
Hammond held Delgado in a pin but was only awarded 4 points for a near fall. All the points awarded to Hammond were in the first period.
“I think our team battle good,” said redshirt-senior Reuben Franklin.
Franklin’s match had a slow start with no points awarded to either athlete in the first period, but in the 2nd and 3rd periods Franklin found his rhythm and was awarded two takedowns on redshirt sophomore Cody Crawford (12-12) and a 4-point near fall. Franklin won his match in the 197-pound division 10-2.
“I feel like I started out slow in the match,” said Franklin. “Eventually I got my takedowns and found my rhythm.”
Franklin (27-5) is ranked 8th in the country in his weight class.
Mendoza said that Franklin is a great example of how they want all of their wrestlers to perform.
The Roadrunners (10-3, 3-0 PAC 12) win ended the weekend winning streak for Oregon State (8-6, 2-2 Pac 12) and continued its undefeated record this year in the Pac 12.
CSUB will host its next match against Boise State in the Icardo Center on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.
