May 27, 2007

Box Score

Northridge, Calif. - The Pacific Tigers concluded their 2007 season with a 6-0 victory over Cal State Northridge on Sunday, May 27.

With the win the Tigers concluded the 2007 season at 16-43 overall and 3-18 in the Big West Confernece. Cal State Northridge, meanwhile, finished their season a 15-41 overall and 3-18 in conference play.

In the first two games of the series, the Matadors struck in the bottom of the first inning. On Sunday, Cal State Northridge threatened to do the same as with two out Richard Cates lined a double into the left field corner. Cleanup hitter, Jorge Andrade Jr., followed with a sinking line drive into right field. Pacific junior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.) made one of the best outfield plays of the season as he nabbed the ball with a head first dive to end the inning.

The Tigers continued to skate past trouble in the bottom of the second as Pacific starter, junior Jason Haar (San Diego, Calif.), worked out of a bases loaded one-out jam by induced a ground out that forced a runner at home and a pop out to keep the game scoreless.

The Tigers' sparkling defense carried over to the plate in the top of the third as the Tigers plated two runs on two hits and two Matador errors. Senior Clint Eastman (Pleasanton, Calif.) got the Tigers rolling on a single through the left side. Sophomore Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) skewed a single to shortstop and a wild throw allowed Eastman and Oliveira to move to second and third. Two pitches later, the Tigers scored two runs on a wild pitch and a bad throw as Eastman scampered home as a pitch from Matador starter Joe Rocchio bounced to the backstop. Cal State Northrige catcher Jowen James Murray-Thornton's throw to Rocchio to try to cut down Eastman bounced away, allowing Oliveira to score as well, giving Pacific a 2-0 edge.

The score remained 2-0 until the top of the sixth inning as Pacific added two more runs on one hit and an error. Haar started the sixth by drawing a lead-off walk, followed by a chopped double down the left line by Murray. One out later, junior John Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) bounced a RBI groundout to short to plate Haar. With Eastman at the plate, the Tigers took advantage of another wild pitch from Rocchio chasing Murray home from third.

Pacific added some additional insurance in the top of the seventh as junior Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.) reached on a two-base error, then three consecutive walks to junior Justin Baum (La Mesa, Calif.), Haar and Murray gave Pacific a 5-0 lead. Following a Matador pitching change, freshman Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) lofted a sacrifice fly into left field to plate Baum and make it 6-0.

Six runs was more than enough for Haar as he scattered nine hits and two walks in his first complete game of the season. Haar moved to 3-3 on the season with the win, notching the Tigers first complete game shutout of the year.

Rocchio suffered the loss as he allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and five walks in six innings.