Feb. 18, 2007
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - A dramatic three-run blast off the bat of junior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) gave the Pacific baseball squad a 7-6 win over Nevada on Sunday, Feb. 18.
With the win the Tigers moved to 4-6 on the season, while Nevada fell to 4-8 overall.
The Tigers grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third inning, when junior Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.) lifted his first home run of the season, a three-run shot, over the left field wall. Freshman Josh Powers (Elk Grove, Calif.) started off the inning with a sharp single up the middle. Sophomore Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) followed with a bunt single down the third base line, putting runners at first and second. Sophomore Joey Centanni (San Diego, Calif.) moved both runners up 90 feet with a sacrifice bunt up the first base line, setting up Baum to hit his first home run of the season on a 3-1 pitch.
The Wolf Pack answered with a single run in the top of the fourth inning on two hits, including an RBI double by Nevada catcher Konrad Schmidt.
Pacific pushed its lead back to three runs at 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, sophomore Erik Hamren (Coto de Caza, Calif.) lined a single up the middle. Powers followed with a single to left, sending Hamren to second. Hamren and Powers moved up a bag on a groundout from Oliveira, allowing Hamren to score on a wild pitch with Centanni at the plate.
The score remained 4-1 until the top of the sixth inning, when Nevada got a solo home run from Schmidt, cutting the Tiger lead to 4-2. Schmidt's home run was his fifth of the season and a preview of things to come.
One inning later in the top of the seventh, Schmidt strode to the plate with two men on and two out against Pacific reliever, senior Curtis Pasma (Madera, Calif.). Schmidt won the battle as he drove the first pitch of his at-bat over the left field wall, giving the Wolf Pack a 5-4 lead. The home run was Schmidt's third round-tripper of the series with the Tigers.
Nevada added a run in the top of the ninth inning, sending the Tigers into the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 6-4.
Oliveira sparked the Tigers' offense in the ninth with a leadoff double, bringing the tying run to the plate. Centanni worked a four-pitch walk, giving the middle of the order a chance to tie or win the game. One out later, Ching ended the game by hammering the first pitch he saw over the center field wall. It was Ching's first home run of the season and his second as a Tiger. Ching's last home run came on April 3, 2005, it was also in the ninth inning as he added an insurance run during Pacific's 6-1 win over UC Santa Barbara.
Pacific senior Jake Wild (Kingsburg, Calif.) picked up the win (1-1) as he allowed one run on two hits in two innings of relief.
Nevada reliever Kody Keroher (1-1) surrendering three runs on two hits and three walks in 2.1 innings of relief.
Pacific heads out on the road to face the top ranked Clemson Tigers in a three-game series in Clemson, S.C. The series begins on Friday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. (PST).
