March 7, 2008
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Pacific baseball suffered another tough loss on Friday, Mar. 7 as the Tigers surrendered four runs in the final two innings to fall, 8-4, to Gonzaga.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 2-8 on the season, while Gonzaga moved to 4-5 overall.
Pacific manufactured a run in the bottom of the first inning as junior Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) walked, stole second, moved to third on a ground out, then scored on an RBI ground out from junior Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.).
The Tigers added another run in the bottom of the second as junior Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.) doubled into the right field corner. With one out, freshman Nick Longmire (San Diego, Calif.) blooped a single into right field to plate Wideman and give Pacific a 2-0 lead.
Gonzaga struck back with a single run in the top of the third, then took the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth. Marcus McKimmy highlighted the Zags effort with a deep solo home run over the right field wall.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, extra base hits from senior Jason Haar (San Diego, Calif.) and Longmire knotted the game at 3-3. Haar led the inning off with a double into right field that rolled to the wall. Two outs later, Longmire launched a triple off the center field wall to drive in Haar.
Gonzaga grabbed the lead right back with a single run in the top of the fifth by taking advantage of an error and a wild pitch.
The score remained 4-3 until the bottom of the seventh. Senior John Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) doubled down the left field line to kick off the inning. One out later, senior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) reached on an infield single to put runners at first and second. One out later, Haar drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases, then Wideman worked a full-count walk to force in the tying run. The next batter, freshman J.B. Brown (Alvin, Texas) blistered a ball to center field, but the line drive held up long enough for Gonzaga's Michael Rhodes to make a running catch.
The Zags scratch across the lead run again in the eighth when McKimmy doubled, moved to third on a short single by Brett Nicholas. Following a strikeout, pinch runner Brandon Blank got drew a throw to second on a steal attempt and stayed alive long enough for McKimmy to score, making it a 5-4 game.
Blank also played a huge role in the bottom of the eighth as with one out and Longmire at third, Blank caught a fly ball in left an gunned a strike to home to cut down Longmire at the plate and keep Gonzaga up 5-4 heading into the final inning.
In the ninth, Gonzaga scored three unearned runs on two hits and two errors to push their lead to 8-4.
Pacific was unable to mount a final rally and dropped the series opener to the Zags.
Bulldog reliever Cody Martin (1-0) earned the victory, allowing only one hit in 2.1 innings of relief.
Pacific starter, junior Cole Akins (0-3) suffered the loss by giving up five runs on nine hits and one walk in 7.1 innings.
Longmire led the Tigers offense with a 3-for-4 night and two RBI.
The Tigers and Bulldogs continue their three-game series on Saturday, Mar. 8 at 2 p.m.
