April 23, 2006
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers dropped their third straight contest to No. 1 Cal State Fullerton, 8-4, on Sunday, Apr. 23.
The loss dropped Pacific to 22-15 on the season and 3-6 in the Big West Conference, while Cal State Fullerton moved to 31-10 overall and 8-1 in conference play.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Pacific sophomore Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) drew a leadoff walk. Ching stole second later in the inning, then scored on an RBI single from senior John Devany (Danville, Calif.) to make it a 2-1 game.
The top-ranked Titans, however, added three runs on two hits and two walks in the second to extend their lead to 5-1 after two innings.
Pacific scratched across single runs in the third and fifth innings to pull within two runs at 5-3.
In the third inning, Tiger senior Bob Saunders (Oakland, Calif.) led off the inning with a single to left field. Saunders moved to second on a ground out from Ching, then went to third on a bunt sinlge by senior Anthony Jackson (Modesto, Calif.). Saunders came in to score on a sacrifice fly by senior Matt Berezay (Manteca, Calif.).
It was the top of the lineup again in the fifth for the Tigers, as Ching reached on a bunt single, then Jackson legged out an infield single on the right side. With runners at first and second, Berezay plated Ching with a single to left field.
The two teams traded runs in the seventh as Cal State Fullerton scored on an RBI single from Jared Clark, then the Tigers got a solo home run from Jackson to make it a 6-4 game.
That, however, was all the offense the Tigers could manage, falling 8-4.
Cal State Fullerton's Dustin Miller (8-1) picked up the win, allowing three runs on six hits in six innings.
Pacific starter, freshman Ty'Relle Harris (4-2) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on three hits and four walks in 1.2 innings.
The Titans Vinnie Pestano picked up his 12th save of the season with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.
Jackson and Saunders led the Pacific offense in the contest with a combined five hits.
Pacific will return to the diamond on Friday, Apr. 28 as the Tigers travel to Long Beach, Calif. to take on the Long Beach State 49ers at 6:30 p.m.
