May 26, 2007

Box Score

Northridge, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers suffered a 9-4 loss to Cal State Northridge on Saturday, May 26.

The loss dropped Pacific to 15-43 on the season and 2-18 in the Big West Conference. Cal State Northridge, meanwhile, moved to 15-40 overall and 3-17 in conference play.

Pacific missed scoring opportunities in both the first and the second innings as sophomore Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) led off the game with a double down the left field line, but was stranded at third. In the second the Tigers left the bases loaded.

While the Tigers missed two opportunities, Cal State Northridge made the most of their chance in the bottom of the first as the Matadors scored three runs on four hits. Jorge Andre Jr. drove in Cal State Northridge's first run in the inning with an RBI single, while Kris Kasarjian delivered a two-run single.

The Matadors added another run in the bottom of the third as C.J. Belanger led off the inning with a triple, then one out later Andrade Jr. knocked out another RBI single.

The Tigers got on the board in the top of the fourth as junior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.) led off with his fourth home run of the season over the left field wall to make it 4-1.

Cal State Northridge, however, responded with a single run in the bottom of the fourth as Kasarjian drove a sacrifice fly into right field.

Murray's home run seemed to ignite the Tigers' offense as Pacific scored again in the top of the sixth as junior Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.) doubled to right-center, then Murray followed with an RBI single into left field.

The Matadors stretched their lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the sixth as Cal State Northridge loaded the bases with nobody out as three straight singles, then got a sacrifice fly from Belanger and an RBI single from Richard Cates.

The Tigers responded by loading the bases themselves with no outs in the top of the seventh as junior John Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) and senior Clint Eastman (Pleasanton, Calif.) started the seventh with singles, then Oliveira drew a walk to load the bases.

That forced Cal State Northridge to lift starter Bobby Paschal for Phillip Hann. The moved worked for the Matadors as Hann induced a sacrifice fly from freshman Matt Fuson (Lodi, Calif.) and a fly out from sophomore Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.). With two outs in the inning, Baum gave the Tigers a chance with an RBI double off the left field wall to plate Eastman and send Oliveira to third, but Murray couldn't come up with his third hit of the game as the game went to the bottom of the seventh, 7-4.

The Tigers did not score again, while the Matadors added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Paschal (1-5) earned his first victory of the season as he held Pacific to four runs on nine hits and three walks in six innings. Hann earned his first save of the season as he held the Tigers scoreless through the final three frames.

Pacific starter, sophomore Cole Akins (Seattle, Wash.) suffered the loss (2-4) as he allowed seven runs on 13 hits and one walk in seven innings.

Baum led the Pacific offense as he finished the day, 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Tigers and Matadors will conclude the 2007 season tomorrow, Sunday, May 27 at 1 p.m. in Matador Field.