March 2, 2008
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Behind a strong pitching performance from freshmen Corey Kohnke (Dana Point, Calif.) and Thomas Berolzheimer (Stockton, Calif.), the Pacific baseball team defeated Washington, 7-4, on Sunday, Mar. 2.
The win lifted Pacific to 2-5 on the season, while Washington fell to 4-4.
In need of a lift from the mound, Pacific turned to Kohnke (1-0) for his first collegiate start. The freshman right hander delivered a solid performance, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings for the win. The most important part of Kohnke's start was holding the high-powered Washington offense to just one run during the first five innings, giving the Tigers a chance to play from in front.
Pacific took the lead in the bottom of the first as junior Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) reached on an infield error with two outs. The Tigers took full advantage of the opportunity when junior Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) blasted the first pitch he saw into deep center field. McKeever's blast one hoped the wall, giving Oliveira time to round third and score to make it a 1-0 game. Sophomore Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) lined the next pitch into left-center field to plate McKeever as Pacific scored two unearned runs in the inning.
Washington tallied their first run of the game on a solo home run from And Lentz in the top of the third, but Kohnke worked around a double in the inning and held the lead, 2-1.
Fellow freshman J.B. Brown (Alvin, Texas) gave his classmate some breathing room in the bottom of the fourth, driving home Walker with an RBI triple into deep right-center field.
Leading 3-1, Pacific added four runs in the bottom of the fifth behind five hits and a hit batter. Junior Jonathan Lewis (San Lorenzo, Calif.) started the rally after being hit by a pitch. Senior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) chopped a double down the left field line to put runners at second and third. Freshman Brian Martin (Livermore, Calif.) followed with an RBI single through the right side to make it 4-1. Following a sacrifice fly by Oliveira to bring home Ching, McKeever and Walker punched out back-to-back singles to drive in Martin, giving Pacific a 6-1 edge. The Tigers final run came moments later when junior Kurt Wideman stroked a single to left field to bring in McKeever, pushing the Tigers' lead to 7-1.
Washington responded with three runs in the top of the sixth inning, but Kohnke got out of the inning on a tapper back to the mound, stranding a runner at second base.
In the top of the seventh, Pacific turned to Berolzheimer and the 6-0 right hander retired all nine men he faced, including five on strikes to pick up his first career save.
Washington's Elliott Cribby (1-1) suffered the loss, surrendering seven runs (five earned) on nine hits and a walk in five innings.
Walker led the Tigers offensively, finishing the day 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
The Tigers return to the diamond on Tuesday, Mar. 4 as Pacific begins a two-day mid-week series with BYU. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
