May 11, 2007

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers suffered a 12-7 loss to No. 13 UC Irvine on Friday, May 11 as the Anteaters scored seven runs in the final two innings.

The loss dropped Pacific to 13-38 on the season and 1-15 in Big West Conference play, while UC Irvine moved to 32-14-1 overall and 8-5 in conference.

Pacific got out to a 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning as sophomore Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.) blasted his sixth home run of the season over the right field wall. Chamberlin's shot also brought home freshman Matt Fuson (Lodi, Calif.) who had singled earlier in the inning.

The Tigers added to their lead in the bottom of the second as freshman Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) hit a solo shot into right field.

UC Irvine lit the scoreboard with a run on two hits and a walk in the top of the third to make it a 3-1 game, but Pacific responded in the bottom half as junior Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.) legged out a double, then scored on an RBI single from junior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.).

The 13th-ranked Anteaters pulled within two once again in the top of the fourth behind an RBI single from Tyler Vaughn. In the top of the fourth, UC Irvine knotted the game at 4-4 on an RBI ground out from Sean Madigan and an RBI triple off the bat of Ollie Linton.

Pacific, however, roared back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth as Baum started a two-out rally with a walk. Junior Jason Haar (San Diego, Calif.) followed with a opposite field double to left center to give the Tigers the lead back at 5-4. Moments later, Walker singled up the middle to drive home Haar and push the Tigers' lead back to two runs at 6-4.

Unfortunately it would be the Anteaters that got the best of the back half of the contest. UC Irvine scored one run in the seventh to pull within a run, then got three in the eighth and four unearned runs in the ninth to pull away from the Tigers.

Dylan Axelrod (3-3) earned the victory, allowing one run on two hits in three innings of relief.

Pacific senior Jake Wild (Kingsburg, Calif.) took the loss (1-8) as allowed three runs on two hits, one walk and two hit batters in 1.1 innings.

Walker led the Tigers' offense as he finished the day, 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.

The Tigers and Anteaters continue their three-game series tomorrow Saturday, May 12 at 1 p.m. at Klein Family Field.