Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Despite rallying for three runs in the bottom of the 13th inning, the Pacific baseball team suffered a 14-9 loss to No. 28 Long Beach State in 14 innings on Sunday, April 29.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 10-34-1 on the season and 0-12 in the Big West Conference. Long Beach State, meanwhile, moved to 27-14 overall and 7-2 in conference play.

Tied 6-6 heading into extra innings, Long Beach State struck the first blow in the top of the 13th inning as the Dirtbags scored three runs behind three doubles and three intentional walks. Pacific held the 49ers to three runs in the frame thanks to a great defensive play by junior third baseman Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.). With the bases loaded and just one out, Baum snared a one hopper off the bat of pinch hitter Steve Tinoco. Baum fell on third for the first out, then got up and rifled a strike to first to complete the double play and bring the Tigers to the plate.

Baum's defensive masterpiece gave the Tigers' offense some momentum as sophomores Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) and Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.) led off the bottom of the 13th with back-to-back singles. One out later, Baum blasted an RBI double into left field to make it 9-7. Junior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.) followed by bouncing the next pitch up the middle to drive in both Chamberlin and Baum and tie the game at 9-9.

Unfortunately the Tigers could not push across the game winning run against the Dirtbags in the 13th and that would cost Pacific as Long Beach State scored five runs in the top of the 14th to claim the contest, 14-9.

Although the early portion of the game was overshadowed by the final two frames, both teams delivered some excitement. Long Beach State got out to 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Shane Peterson blasted a home run over the right field wall.

The Tigers responded with four runs on two hits, two walks and a critical Long Beach State error in the bottom of the second. Murray started the Tiger inning with a double into left field. With two outs in the inning, junior David Flaherty (Alamo, Calif.) and senior Clint Eastman (Pleasanton, Calif.) drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.

Junior Denis Hill (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) bounced what appeared to be an inning ending ground out to shortstop, but Long Beach State's Danny Espinoza launched a throw into right field allowing two runs to score. Oliveira capitalized on the mistake by delivering a two-run double to give Pacific a 4-1 lead.

As the Dirtbags did all series, Long Beach State came right back in the top of the third with two runs on two hits, a walk and two sacrifice flys.

The two teams traded single runs in the middle innings as Flaherty blasted solo shots for the Tigers in the fourth and sixth, while Long Beach State scored a single run in the fifth to take the score to 6-4.

Long Beach State tied the game in the top of the eighth inning on three consecutive singles and two sacrifice flys.

Long Beach State reliever Daniel Wolford (1-1) earned the win as he held the Tigers scoreless in the final 1.1 innings.

Pacific sophomore Casey Neimeyer (Woodland, Calif.) took the loss as he surrendered one run on one hit in two-thirds of an inning to fall to 1-1.

Oliveira led the Pacific offense with four hits, two RBI and one run scored, while Flaherty finished 2-for-5 with two home runs and three runs scored.

The Tigers return to the diamond on Tuesday, May 1 as Pacific hosts Sacramento State at 2 p.m. in Klein Family Field.