April 20, 2008

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - Pacific junior Joey Centanni (San Diego, Calif.) allowed just two runs in eight innings, but the Pacific baseball team came up just short against No. 15 Cal State Fullerton, 2-1, on Sunday, Apr. 20.

The loss dropped the Tigers to 8-28 on the season and 2-10 in the Big West Conference. Cal State Fullerton, meanwhile, moved to 23-13 overall and 9-3 in conference play.

Pacific saved its best performance of the series for the finale, going toe-to-toe with the 15th ranked Titans.

Cal State Fullerton scratched across the first run of the game in the top of the third inning. Left fielder Gary Brown led off the inning with a single to right. A bunt single down the third base line from leadoff man Josh Fellhauer put runners at first and second with no outs. Shortstop Christian Colon sacrificed both runners into scoring position, then Erik Komatsu drove home Brown on a high hoping ground ball to first. Komatsu reached first on an error, but the Tigers escaped further damage with a strikeout, throw out, double play to end the inning.

The Titans 1-0 lead was erased in the bottom of the sixth with one swing. Senior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) blasted the first pitch he saw in the inning over the left-center field wall to tie the game at 1-1. It was Ching's team-leading third home run of the season.

Centanni and Cal State Fullerton starter, Cory Arbiso, kept the game tied at 1-1 with stellar pitching performances.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, Centanni made one mistake in the top of the eighth inning as Colon delivered the eventual game-winning solo home run with one out in the inning. The shot was Colon's second home run of the season and came on the first pitch of the at-bat.

Arbison (7-2) earned the victory, allowing one run on seven hits and one walk in eight innings.

Centanni (0-2) was the hard luck loser, allowing two runs on seven hits and no walks.

Adam Jorgensen nabbed his fourth save of the season, allowing only one hit in the ninth.

Ching and sophomore Mike Walker led the Tigers' offense with two hits each.

The Tigers hit the road to face No. 24 Long Beach State for the first in a three game series on Friday, Apr. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in Blair Field.