April 19, 2005
Box Score
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers baseball team suffered a 3-2 loss to Saint Mary's on Tuesday, Apr. 19. The loss dropped the Tigers to 17-22 on the season, while the Gaels moved to 13-22.
Saint Mary's got all of their offense in the top of the first inning. The first two batters for the Gaels flew out to center, then Saint Mary's got a walk and four consecutive hits to take a 3-0 lead.
The Tigers got a run back in the bottom of the first inning as freshman Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) led off with a single, then junior Jerin Harper (Spokane, Wash.) reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second. One out later, senior Brandon Gottier (Bellingham, Wash.) walked to load the bases. Following a strikeout, junior Anthony Jackson (Modesto, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to force home Ching, cutting the Gaels' lead to 3-1.
Pacific pulled within a run in the eighth inning as Gottier led off the inning with a bunt single, then with one out, Jackson doubled down the right field line. Junior Will Brindza (Sherwood, Ore.) followed with an RBI single to left field to plate Gottier. The Tigers, however, were unable to push across the tying run.
Pacific had another golden opportunity in the bottom of the ninth as senior Jesse Kovacs (Carmel, Calif.) walked, one out later, Harper singled to right, then junior Matt Berezay (Manteca, Calif.) walked to load the bases with one out. Unfortunately the Tigers' threat was ended with two strikeouts.
The Tigers left 12 runners on base in the game, including four in the final two innings.
Junior Eric Stolp (Oakhurst, Calif.) took the loss (1-4) for Pacific as he allowed all three of Saint Mary's runs in the first inning. Junior Tyler McCready (Aiea, Hawaii) came in and tossed six innings of no-hit relief to keep the Tigers in the game, but it wasn't enough.
Saint Mary's Dan Lewis (2-0) got the win as he allowed one run on four hits in five innings, while Justin Sloan gave up one run on five hits in four innings for his first save of the season.
Pacific will be back in action on Friday, Apr. 22, as the Tigers begin a three-game series with Big West Conference rival, Long Beach State, at 6 p.m. in Billy Hebert Field.
