Feb. 27, 2008

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Before a record crowd of 881, the Pacific baseball program played the first night game at the Tigers' home, Klein Family Field on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Unfortunately not all the news was good as the Tigers fell to Santa Clara, 15-6.

The loss dropped Pacific to 1-3 on the season, while Santa Clara moved to 4-0.

Pacific fell behind 5-0 right out of the gate as the Broncos plated five in the top half of the first inning. Santa Clara added another in the top of the second, but the Tigers came right back in the bottom half of the frame as junior Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) singled to lead off the second, then senior Greg Murray (El Cerrito, Calif.) cranked an RBI double down the left field line to put runners at second and third. Following a walk to junior Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.), senior Noah St. Urbain (Stockton, Calif.) drove in McKeever with an RBI ground out.

Two innings later, the duo of McKeever and Murray connected again. This time McKeever laced a double off the center field wall, then Murray followed with an RBI single to get Pacific back within five at 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The offense continued to flow freely in the fifth inning as both sides plated four runs on four hits and a walk.

The Pacific rally got started by the bottom of the order as senior St. Urbain and junior Jonathan Lewis (San Lorenzo, Calif.) singled to put runners on first and second. With one out in the inning, senior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) ripped a triple into left-center, plating St. Urbain and Lewis to make it 11-4. Moments later, junior Zach Chamberlin (San Rafael, Calif.) slapped a single to left to drive home Ching. After an error put runners and first and third on a ball hit by McKeever, Murray knocked in Chamberlin via a ground out and the Tigers were back within five at 11-6.

Pacific's offense went cold the rest of the way, while the Broncos continued to tally the scoreboard, taking the contest, 15-6.

Pacific sophomore Hunter Carnevale (Roseville, Calif.) suffered the loss (1-1) as he allowed seven runs on eight hits and a walk in three innings.

Santa Clara reliever Thain Simon (1-0) nabbed the victory with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Chamberlin, Ching, McKeever and Murray each finished the game with two hits, while Ching and Murray posted two RBI.

The Tigers return to action on Friday, Feb. 29 as Pacific hosts Washington in the first of a three-game series with the Huskies at 6 p.m. in Klein Family Field.