Box Score

Waco, Texas - Playing the rubber game of a three-game series, the Pacific baseball team plated three runs in the top of the ninth to force extra innings but ultimately fell to No. 8 Baylor, 5-4 in 10 innings on Sunday, Feb. 22. The loss dropped the Tigers to 1-2 on the season, while Baylor moved to 2-1.

Down 4-1, Pacific could not find an answer to reliever Jon Ringenberg's efficient pitching through the eighth as he held the Tigers scoreless and did not allow one single runner in three innings out of the bullpen. However, the Tigers came charging in the ninth inning as Ringenberg gave up consecutive singles to junior third baseman Mike Walker (Marysville, Calif.) and senior right fielder Mike McKeever (San Diego, Calif.) to open the inning without an out.

Brooks Pinckard (1-0) came in to relieve Ringenberg of his duty and gave up two runs as senior catcher Kurt Wideman (Fallbrook, Calif.) shot a double down the right field line, scoring junior pinch runner Matt Fuson (Lodi, Calif.) and Walker to bring the score to 4-3. From the eighth position in the lineup, junior designated hitter and RHP Jamie Niley (Elk Grove, Calif.) hit a sacrifice fly to plate sophomore second baseman J.B. Brown (Alvin, Texas) with one out and a runner at third, blowing the save opportunity for Pinckard and extending the game into extra innings for the second time in the series against Baylor, with a 4-4 score on the board.

After a scoreless ninth inning, the Bears put an end to their struggles and put runners on first and third with no outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. Junior RHP Andrew Mintun (Stockton, Calif.) intentionally walked Adam Hornung to load the bases as the infield played up for the force out at home for the next batter. Instead, during Lucas Hileman's first plate appearance of the game, Hileman snuck the game-winning single to the deep infield past Brown taking the game in extra innings, 5-4.

Mintun (0-1, 4.50 ERA), in two innings of relief, gave up one earned run on three runs with two strikeouts. McKeever (.333 average) led Pacific with a 2-for-4 plate appearance and Wideman (1-for-3, .100 average) paved the way for the Tigers' offensive charge with two RBI on the afternoon.

Junior starter RHP Hunter Carnevale (Roseville, Calif.) recorded 5.1 innings of work and, with the score tied at 1-1 to start out the bottom of the sixth inning, was charged with the final two runs of his appearance as the Bears took the lead in the game, 3-1. Baylor scored its first run of the inning when Carnevale loaded the bases and then dished out a five-pitch walk to Gregg Glime, allowing Dustin Dickerson to score who doubled to start off the inning. Niley then came in to relieve Carnevale on the mound and surrendered a hit up the middle that Brown fumbled and recovered with an out at second, allowing Miller to score from third. With runners at the corners, Landis Ware flied out to senior Joey Centanni (San Diego, Calif.) in center field to end the inning, as the Tigers trailed for the second time of the game.

Carnevale gave Pacific another quality start in the series, giving up six hits, three runs and struck out five, in 25 batters faced. Baylor's starter, RHP Craig Fritsch saw 21 batters in four innings, and allowed one run on four hits.

Behind Ringenberg's pitching, the Bears were able to score a fourth run in the eighth off junior RHP Tye Davis (Marysville, Calif.). Davis advanced Aaron Miller to second on a wild pitch and he then scored to bring the game at 4-1, when Hornung doubled into right field.

In the bottom of the fourth, Baylor finally jumped on the scoreboard when Hornung doubled down the left field line and scored Dan Evatt from second. Evatt singled to start off the inning, then advanced to second on a wild pitch during Hornug's at-bat to bring the score at 1-0 in favor of the Bears. Carnevale did not let the mistake get to his head and pitched out of the jam recording the next two outs during the next two at-bats after the run scored.

After four scoreless innings to start out the game, down 1-0, Pacific answered Baylor's fourth-inning run during the top of the fifth. Sophomore first baseman Brian Martin (Livermore, Calif.) hit a routine ball to short stop to score Centanni from third base and earn the RBI knotting the score at 1-1. In the previous at-bat, Centanni reached first on an error by the short stop, Raynor Campbell. During Martin's at-bat, Centanni used head's up base running to steal second, then advanced to third when Campbell and Ware miscommunicated in covering the bag, missing the throw completely.

The Tigers kept the game tied in the bottom of the fifth with one out as sophomore left fielder Nick Longmire (San Diego, Calif.) snagged a deep shot at the left field fence and doubled up Hansen at first who anticipated a home run. Shaver Hansen could not get back to first on time, and the Tigers ended the inning.

The Bears' first scoring threat in the game came in the bottom of the third, when Glime and Don Lambert started off the inning with back-to-back singles. Ware tried to advance his runners with a sacrifice bunt, but tapped it down the third base line as Carnevale was able to come up with it and tag out the lead runner at third. With one out and runners on first and second, Carnevale persisted on the mound and rung up Hansen who took the sixth pitch for the third strike of his at-bat. Carnevale then walked Campbell to load the bases for the first time in the inning, and on two outs recorded a huge strikeout as Dickerson struck out swinging to end the inning and keep the game scoreless after three full innings of play.

The Tigers hit the diamond again on Tuesday, Feb. 24 as Pacific opens its home schedule against Sacramento State at 5:35 p.m. in Klein Family Field.