April 8, 2008
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Freshman Nick Longmire's (San Diego, Calif.) four-hit night led a 17-hit parade for the Pacific baseball team as the Tigers defeated Nevada, 14-3, on Tuesday, April 8.
The victory moved the Tigers to 7-22 on the season, while Nevada fell to 17-14.
Although the Tigers' 17 hits supplied all the action, the ignition of Pacific's fire came on the defensive end in the top of the first inning. A walk and a double from Nevada's first two hitters put runners at second and third with no outs. Pacific starter Andrew Mintun (Stockton, Calif.) refused to panic. Instead Mintun struck out Jason Rodriguez for the first out of the inning. Then after hitting Terry Walsh to load the bases, Mintun induced an inning-ending double play from Shaun Kort.
Keeping the Wolf Pack off the scoreboard in the first gave Pacific a chance to grab the lead and the Tigers seized the opportunity.
Junior Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) led off the inning with a walk, senior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) beat out a bunt down the third base line. An errant throw moved Oliveira to third and Ching to second. One out later, junior Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) blooped a two-run single into center field to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. McKeever took second on the throw to the plate and scored moments later on an RBI double from freshman Brian Martin (Livermore, Calif.).
Up 3-0, Nevada posted two runs in the top of the second, but the Tigers came right back with a run in the second as Oliveira drew a two-out walk, stole second and scored on a single from Ching.
Nevada got the single run back in the top of the third, but the Tigers remained in front at 4-3.
The scored remained 4-3 until the bottom of the fifth, when the Tigers offense began to heat up.
Pacific plated three runs on four hits. Oliveira led off the inning with a single into left, then Ching doubled down the left field line to chase home Oliveira. Sophomore Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) knocked in Ching on a double into left field. Moments later, Longmire singled into right to drive in Walker and make it 7-3.
The Tigers added two more runs in the seventh, thanks to a two-run single from Longmire.
Five more runs flowed for the Tigers on four hits in the eighth inning as junior Jonathan Lewis (San Lorenzo, Calif.) delivered an RBI double, Longmire smacked a bases loaded double into the left field corner to drive in two more. Later in the inning, senior Jason Haar (San Diego, Calif.) lined a two-run single into left field to complete the scoring at 14-3.
Mintun (1-0) earned the victory, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks in two innings.
Nevada starter Ryan Iodence (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk in one-third of an inning.
Longmire and McKeever led the Tigers' offense with four hits each. Longmire finished with a career-high five RBI.
Pacific returns to the diamond on Friday, April 11 as the Tigers travel to San Luis Obispo, Calif. to take on the Cal Poly Mustangs in the first game of the three game series at 6 p.m. in Baggett Stadium.
