May 7, 2008

Box Score

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific baseball team defeated Santa Clara 11-7 on Wednesday, May 7 at Klein Family Field in Stockton, Calif. Pacific improves to 10-35 while the Broncos fall to 29-18.

Pacific jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the strength of three solo home runs. The Tigers got home runs from senior Adam Ching (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) in the bottom of the first inning and solo shots from junior Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) and sophomore Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) in the bottom of the second inning.

The Broncos evened the score at 3-3 in the top of the third inning on a three-run home run by Tommy Medica.

The Tigers struck back for four more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 7-3 lead. Sophomore Matt Fuson (Lodi, Calif.) got aboard on a single with one out, then back-to-back doubles by junior Joe Oliveira (San Diego, Calif.) and Ching made it 5-3. Freshman Nick Longmire (San Diego, Calif.) and senior John Joines (Milpitas, Calif.) added RBI singles to make it 7-3. Longmire extended his hitting streak to team season-high tying 11 games with the hit.

Pacific added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning on another RBI from Longmire, this one on a double to left field to make it 8-3. After the Broncos scored a run on a double play in the top of the seventh, the Tigers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning after Santa Clara committed three errors to take the lead back to five at 9-4.

The Tigers allowed three unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning, then struck back for two more runs in the bottom of the frame, both on a two-run double by Walker.

Tiger starter Cole Akins (Seattle, Wash.) allowed three runs in four innings, striking out four. Sophomore Andrew Mintun (Stockton, Calif.) gave Pacific two scoreless innings of relief. Mintun picked up the victory to move to 2-0 on the season. Freshman Thomas Berolzheimer (Stockton, Calif.) pitched the final three innings to pick up his team-leading third save of the year.

Ching and Joines each led the Tigers with three hits apiece.

The Tigers are next in action with a Big West Conference series at UC Irvine beginning on Friday, May 9. Game time is 6:00 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark.