March 10, 2006

Box Score

Waco, Texas - A check-swing bloop double in the ninth inning led to two runs as the Pacific baseball team fell to No. 19 Baylor, 5-4, on Friday, Mar. 10 in the opening game of the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Tournament.

With the loss, the Tigers fell to 10-5 on the season, while Baylor moved to 11-3.

With the Tigers leading 4-3 with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Baylor got a bloop single from pinch hitter Matt Czimskey. Another pinch hitter, Cliff Springston, reached on a check-swing double down the left field line, sending pinch runner Paul Miles to third. After a sacrifice fly tied the game at 4-4, Baylor's Zach Dillon ripped a game-winning single into left field to give the game to the Bears, 5-4.

The first two runs of the game came in the bottom of the second as Baylor's Seth Fortenberry launched a two-run home run over the center field wall.

Pacific answered back in the top of the third as sophomore Brett Manning (Boulder, Colo.) led off the inning with a triple off the right-center field wall. Junior Clint Eastman (Pleasanton, Calif.) lifted a sacrifice fly into right field to make it a 2-1 game.

Baylor added a run on two hits in the bottom of the fourth, but the Tigers answered again in their next at-bat, scoring three runs on three hits.

Once again it was Manning that keyed the Tigers rally as he led off the fifth with a double down the left field line. One out later, freshman Alex Zanini (Stockton, Calif.) reached on an infield error, allowing Manning to score to pull the Tigers' within one run at 3-2. With two outs in the inning, senior Anthony Jackson (Modesto, Calif.) tied the game with another double down the left field line to plate Zanini. The next Pacific batter, senior Matt Berezay (Modesto, Calif.), traded places with Jackson as he doubled down the right field line to give Pacific a 4-3 lead.

Baylor's Nick Cassavechia (3-0) picked up the win with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief, while Pacific junior Curtis Pasma (2-1) was a hard luck loser, allowing two runs on four hits in 1.2 innings.

Manning led the Tigers offense as he was 2-for-3 with two runs scored in the contest.

Pacific will be back in action on Saturday, Mar. 11 as the Tigers continue play in the Quala-T Imprints Baylor Tournament at 12 p.m. (PST). The Tigers will face Louisiana Tech, who defeated Michigan 13-7 in the first game of the tournament.