April 5, 2007

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Trailing 8-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Pacific Tigers scored 12 straight runs including 10 runs in the eighth inning to claim a 12-10 win over UC Davis on Thursday, April 5.

The win moved the Tigers to 8-23-1 on the season, while UC Davis dropped to 9-17.

Junior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.) got the Tiger offense going in the bottom of the seventh as Murray blasted his second career home run over the center field wall to make it an 8-2 game. Sophomore Erik Hamren (Coto de Caza, Calif.) was along for the ride as he singled to center just before Murray went deep.

The bottom of the eighth inning began with UC Davis lifting starting pitcher Trevor Fox in favor of reliever Nik Aurora. Sophomore Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.) drew a walk to lead off the inning, then junior Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.) laced a single into center field, putting runners on first and second. Sophomore Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.) plated Chamberlin on a single to left, making it 8-3. A walk to pinch-hitter Jason Haar (San Diego, Calif.) loaded the bases for junior John Joines (Milpitas, Calif.). Joines bounced a single up the middle to drive home Baum and Wideman, cutting the UC Davis lead to 8-5.

With the tying run at the plate, UC Davis went to the bullpen for a second time, bringing in Justin Fitzgerald. The Tigers responded by sending pinch-hitter Brett Manning (Boulder, Colo.) to the plate. Manning lined a sharp single into right field, loading the bases for a second time in the inning. Murray strode to the plate and continued the hit parade with a two-run double into left field making the score 8-7. Pinch-hitter Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) tied the game with an RBI single through the right side to bring in pinch-runner Matt Fuson (Lodi, Calif.).

Tied 8-8, Chamberlin came to the plate for the second time in the eighth inning and delivered the biggest blow of the game. Chamberlin drove a 1-1 pitch off the center field wall to empty the bases and give Pacific an 11-8 lead. Baum closed the scoring for the Tigers with an RBI single to give the Tigers a 12-8 lead.

UC Davis scratched across two runs in the top of the ninth to close the gap to 12-10, but Pacific relievers freshman David Hovey (San Diego, Calif.) and senior Curtis Pasma (Madera, Calif.) closed the door on the Aggies.

Freshman Andrew Mintun (Stockton, Calif.) picked up the win as he tossed a scoreless eighth inning to move to 1-0 on the season.

Fitzgerald (0-3) suffered the loss as he allowed five runs on five hits and a walk in one inning of work.

Pasma earned his first save of the season by retiring the final out of the ninth inning.

The last time Pacific scored 10 runs in an inning was on March 25, 2003 as the Tigers scored 10 runs in the ninth inning at Nevada to take a 17-9 victory.

The Tigers and Aggies will continue their three game series on Friday, April 6th at 2 p.m.